Nitin Gadkari on Road accidents in India: Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari acknowledged Thursday that road accidents have increased in India despite his efforts to cut them by half, blaming lane indiscipline as the primary cause.
Speaking during Question Hour in the Lok Sabha, Gadkari shared that even his car was fined twice in Mumbai for traffic violations.
High speed is not such a big issue worldwide, but lane indiscipline is a serious problem in India, Gadkari said. He emphasised the need to educate youth and children about traffic discipline and urged lawmakers to organise awareness programs in their constituencies.
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla echoed Gadkari’s sentiment, saying members of Parliament should take responsibility for educating the public to prevent accidents.
Highlighting India’s grim road safety record, Gadkari said road accidents claim 1.78 lakh lives annually, with 60% of victims aged 18-34. Uttar Pradesh leads with over 23,000 fatalities, followed by Tamil Nadu (18,000), Maharashtra (15,000), and Madhya Pradesh (13,000). Among cities, Delhi tops the list with 1,400 deaths, followed by Bengaluru (915) and Jaipur (850).
Gadkari admitted his personal experience with a severe accident involving his family, adding that improper parking of trucks and lack of lane discipline significantly contribute to fatalities. To address safety, he said his ministry is implementing international standards for bus design, including hammers near windows for emergency use.
“When I go to attend international conferences where there is a discussion on road accidents, I try to hide my face,” Gadkari said, adding that achieving progress requires societal change and respect for the rule of law.
“By the grace of God, I and my family were saved. So I have my personal experience of accidents,” he added.
CCTV cameras have been installed on roads to monitor violations, Gadkari said, reiterating the government’s commitment to reducing accidents and improving traffic safety.