Union Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari on Thursday regretted the fact that 400 people on an average die every day in road accidents in India due to “faulty engineering” in construction of roads and highways.
Releasing a report on road accidents in India in 2015, Gadkari said he is “deeply pained” at the findings that show 17 deaths in 57 crashes per hour and over 54 per cent of those getting killed being in the age group of 15-34 years.
“let people criticise us but I want to make the report public. Our two years of dedicated work and sincere efforts has resulted in not much change but we are committed to changing the scenario as I cannot allow this. My heart fills with immense pain. This magnitude was not killed in wars, epidemic and militancy,” Gadkari said on the occasion.
The road transport minister also said that with overspeeding accounting for over 62 per cent road accident deaths, cameras will be installed on National Highways to check errant drivers who would face stricter penalties.
He said though the reports lists driver’s fault for 77.1 per cent of the road accidents in 2015, “faulty road engineering” is one of the major causes. “Human sacrifices cannot be allowed. We have taken a slew of steps in the last two years to minimise this including launch of Pradahan Mantri Sadak Suraksha Yojana and earmarking 1 per cent of the project cost for road safety that translates to Rs 5,000 crore on it,” he added.
Gadkari also sought to blame the previous government, saying that the steps taken by the “UPA regime to economise construction cost has done away with several overbridges and underpasses on many crucial roads leading to high number of accidents at several places including on Delhi-Gurgaon stretch”.
Gadkari said apart from correcting engineering flaws, one major decision the government had taken two years ago was to more than double the length of National Highways from 96,000 kms to 2 lakh km. It was a historical decision, he said, adding that it has succeeded in taking the number to 1.55 lakh km.
He added that a letter is also being issued to state governments form committees at districts, headed by MPs and comprising local DM, SSP and others to recommend actionable points to curb accidents locally. A three-member committee has been asked to come out with a report on crash barriers to prevent accidents on hilly terrains like Himachal Pradesh.
“We are hopeful that the new Motor Vehicle Act is passed in the upcoming session of Parliament as a Group of Ministers, headed by Transport Minister of Rajasthan is likely to submit its report on stricter penalties and after the Cabinet nod the same would be introduced in Parliament,” Gadkari said addressing the media here.
The Road Transport and Highways Minister, who has been vocal that 30 per cent of licences in India were “bogus”, said a study of 2015 accidents showed that “owners of regular licences were involved in 79 per cent of about 5 lakh road accidents in which 1.46 lakh people died.” Drivers’ fault accounted for 77 per cent of total road accidents, Gadkari said.