Gadkari says he tries to hide his face in international meetings over India's rising road accidents

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Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, expressed deep regret on Thursday over the rising number of road accidents in India, admitting that he had failed to meet his ambitious target of reducing accident fatalities by 50 per cent since assuming office. He revealed that, when attending international conferences where road accidents are discussed, he often feels the need to "hide his face" due to the increasing death toll on Indian roads.

In a candid admission during a discussion on road safety in the Lok Sabha, Gadkari said, "Forget about reducing the number of accidents, I have no hesitation to admit that it has increased." The minister's statement followed a supplementary query during the Question Hour, where he underscored the enormity of the challenge India faces in tackling road accidents.

Gadkari explained that while improvements were expected under his tenure, the issue had proven far more complex, noting that a change in human behaviour, societal attitudes, and the respect for the rule of law were critical to curbing the growing number of accidents. "For things to improve, human behaviour in India has to change, society has to change, and the rule of law has to be respected," he stressed.

The minister also drew from his own personal experience, recalling a severe accident that he and his family were involved in several years ago, which left him needing prolonged medical treatment. "By the grace of God, I and my family were saved. So, I have personal experience with accidents," Gadkari said, adding that this personal ordeal had only heightened his awareness of the road safety issue.

As per PTI reports, Gadkari pointed out that a major cause of accidents in India is the improper parking of trucks on roads, as well as the widespread lack of lane discipline among commercial drivers. He also mentioned that he had issued orders for adhering to international standards in the construction of bus bodies in India, proposing safety features such as the installation of hammers near bus windows to facilitate easy escape in the event of an accident.

Further highlighting the scale of the problem, Gadkari noted that road accidents claim approximately 1.78 lakh lives annually in India, with 60 per cent of the victims falling within the 18-34 age group. Uttar Pradesh, according to PTI, leads the country in road accident fatalities, with over 23,000 deaths, accounting for 13.7 per cent of the national toll. Tamil Nadu follows with more than 18,000 deaths, representing 10.6 per cent. Maharashtra, too, has a significant share of fatalities, with over 15,000 deaths, or nine per cent of the total national road accident deaths. Madhya Pradesh comes in fourth with more than 13,000 deaths.

In terms of cities, Delhi tops the list with over 1,400 deaths due to road accidents, followed by Bengaluru with 915 fatalities. Jaipur records around 850 deaths, making it another hotspot for road accidents in India.

The minister's remarks underscore the need for urgent and sustained efforts to address the country's road safety crisis, which continues to claim countless lives every year. Despite his efforts, Gadkari admitted that there is still much work to be done, and the task of reducing road accidents remains a daunting challenge.

(With inputs from PTI)