New Delhi:
Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, sounded a clarion call for immediate reforms in India’s road safety infrastructure, highlighting the urgent need to adopt sustainable, tech-driven solutions to curb the alarming rate of road accidents across the country.
Inaugurating the two-day Global Road Infratech Summit & Expo (GRIS) in New Delhi, themed “Vision Zero: Sustainable Infratech and Policy for Safer Roads”, Gadkari emphasized that poor civil engineering, flawed road design, substandard construction practices, and inadequate signage systems were among the chief culprits behind India’s rising road fatalities.
“Nearly 4.8 lakh road accidents every year, resulting in 1.8 lakh deaths—this is not just a statistic, it’s a national emergency,” Gadkari declared, noting that two-wheeler riders and pedestrians aged 18-45 form the majority of victims. These accidents, he added, cost the country a staggering 3% of its GDP annually.
Drawing attention to global best practices, Gadkari urged the road construction sector to look toward countries like Spain, Austria, and Switzerland, where advanced design standards and smart safety policies have helped drastically reduce road mishaps. “We must learn, adapt, and innovate—there is no excuse for unsafe roads in a modern India,” he said.
The Minister didn’t mince words in holding engineers accountable for subpar Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) and called for a paradigm shift in planning and execution. He reiterated the government’s ambitious goal to cut road accident fatalities by 50% by 2030.
Stressing the need for a multi-pronged approach, he called on industry leaders, policymakers, and civil society to collaborate in improving road safety literacy, enforcement of laws, and emergency medical responsiveness. “Education and enforcement must go hand in hand,” he asserted.
The GRIS, hosted by the International Road Federation – India Chapter (IRF-IC), brings together key stakeholders from both public and private sectors to explore groundbreaking innovations, promote sustainable materials, and foster actionable policy dialogues aimed at transforming India’s road landscape.
K K Kapila, President Emeritus, IRF, emphasized that the summit was designed to create a “holistic platform for inspiration, knowledge exchange, and collaboration,” blending exhibitions with expert panels to catalyze real-world change.
Other notable speakers included Susanna Zammataro, Director General, IRF Geneva, Lt. Gen. Harpal Singh, President, IRF-India Chapter, and Akhilesh Srivastava, Vice President, IRF—each echoing the call for global cooperation and technological advancement in pursuit of Vision Zero.
As India marches toward becoming a $5 trillion economy, Gadkari’s address served as a stark reminder: progress must not come at the cost of public safety. The road to development must first be made safe.
