'I Try To Hide My Face In Conferences Abroad:' Nitin Gadkari On Road Accidents In India

Recalling a personal experience, Gadkari shared that he and his family once survived a severe road accident, which left him hospitalised for a long time.

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari expressed his dismay over the state of road safety in India, admitting he feels embarrassed at international conferences when road accidents are discussed. Speaking during a Lok Sabha discussion on Thursday, Gadkari said he had aimed to reduce road accidents by 50 per cent when he assumed office as the Road Transport and Highways Minister.

"Forget about reducing the number of accidents, I have no hesitation to admit that it has been increased. When I go to attend international conferences where there is a discussion on road accidents, I try to hide my face," he said while replying to a supplementary during the Question Hour.

As per the report by the news agency PTI, the minister emphasised the need for behavioural change in Indian society and adherence to the rule of law to improve road safety. Recalling a personal experience, Gadkari shared that he and his family once survived a severe road accident, which led him to remain in hospital for a long time.

"By the grace of God, I and my family were saved. So I have my personal experience of accidents." He added that improper truck parking on the road is a major cause of accidents, and many trucks don't follow lane discipline.

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari Directs To Follow International Standards

To address these issues, Gadkari said he has directed that international standards be followed for manufacturing bus bodies in India. He stressed the importance of installing hammers near bus windows for emergencies, allowing passengers to break the glass if required during accidents.

He also highlighted the alarming rate of road accidents in the country accounting for 1.78 lakh lives annually with 60 per cent of the victims aged between 18 to 34 years. Uttar Pradesh highest among the states and Delhi tops the list among cities. After UP, where over 23,000 people (13.7 per cent) died due to road accidents, Tamil Nadu (18,000), Maharashtra, (15,000), and Madhya Pradesh (13,000) come on the list.

Among cities, Delhi leads with more than 1,400 deaths, followed by Bengaluru with 915 and Jaipur with 850 deaths due to road accidents.