Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, made a pressing appeal in the Lok Sabha on Thursday, urging Speaker Om Birla to facilitate a dedicated discussion on enhancing road safety awareness across the nation. The call came during the ongoing Winter Session of Parliament, with Gadkari expressing profound grief over the persistently high rate of road fatalities despite concerted government efforts.
Alarming Statistics Highlight Youth Vulnerability
Presenting stark figures, Gadkari informed the House that India witnesses approximately 5 lakh road accidents every year, resulting in a staggering 1.8 lakh deaths. A particularly distressing detail he shared was that 66 per cent of those who perish are young individuals aged between 18 and 34 years. The minister was responding to a query raised by BJP MP from Surat, Mukeshkumar Dalal, during the Question Hour.
"I request you to take the initiative to have a special debate on this. Despite all efforts, the results have not been satisfactory. I accept that with grief," Gadkari stated, addressing the Speaker directly. He attributed a significant cause of accidents to human behaviour, lamenting a pervasive "lack of fear or respect for the law" among road users.
Government Initiatives and a Call for Grassroots Action
Outlining the steps taken by his ministry, Gadkari highlighted several key measures:
- A 'Raahveer' Scheme: To encourage bystander assistance, any individual who brings an accident victim to a hospital will be awarded Rs 25,000 and face no legal harassment.
- Immediate Hospital Funding: Hospitals will receive prompt payment for seven-day treatment, up to Rs 1.5 lakh, to ensure victims receive care without delay.
- District-Level Committees: Accident management committees have been established in all districts under the respective collectors. Gadkari requested Members of Parliament to ensure these committees hold bi-monthly meetings and identify accident-prone 'black spots' in their constituencies.
- Vehicle Safety Mandates: The government has mandated six airbags in automobiles and asked companies to provide a helmet with every two-wheeler sold.
He further noted that 7,000 identified black spots have already been rectified, with a substantial fund of Rs 40,000 crore set aside for this critical task.
Parliamentary Consensus on Collective Responsibility
Speaker Om Birla acknowledged the minister's deep concern and echoed the call for collective action. "We, as public representatives, should make collective efforts and also individual efforts in our constituencies to make plans to address road accidents," Birla said. He suggested that awareness campaigns and identification of accident causes should be intensified so that the problem could see tangible improvement by the next year.
The Speaker indicated that the next parliamentary session could feature a detailed discussion on the issue. Gadkari emphasized the role of public education, mentioning ongoing campaigns featuring prominent figures like Amitabh Bachchan and targeted programmes for the youth. He urged all MPs to conduct similar road safety awareness programmes in their own constituencies, stressing that the number of lives lost on roads surpasses casualties in wars or from diseases like Covid-19.
Gadkari also cited an AIIMS study which found that immediate post-accident treatment could save up to 50,000 lives annually, underlining the critical importance of the 'Golden Hour' and the newly introduced schemes to support it.
