Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, has called for better project preparation and skilled engineers, and greater accountability in urban road development. He also said that Indian highways and expressways do not have proper signage, which is a cause of road accidents.
PTI has reported that, speaking at an event, Gadkari said that every road should have proper and clear signage. “Every road should have proper and clear signage. I had prepared a world-standard signage policy, but it was not implemented by NHAI,” he said, while adding, “Still, Indian highways and expressways do not have perfect signage, which is also responsible for road accidents.”
India records nearly five lakh road accidents annually, resulting in 1.8 lakh deaths and lakhs of critical injuries. There are several reasons behind these accidents. Not following traffic rules, reckless driving, jumping signals, pedestrians crossing roads at the wrong places, not wearing seatbelts, not wearing helmets, poor road conditions, overspeeding, etc., are some of the key reasons that cause road accidents. Beyond that, another key reason is not properly visible road signages, believes the minister.
Poor road conditions often result in mishaps and major road accidents across the country, leading to deaths and critical injuries. Gadkari reportedly said that he has been continuously monitoring social media posts on the poor condition of stretches of highways, and his ministry has also taken strict action against those contractors who were responsible for construction and maintenance of these highway stretches. The minister reportedly also lamented that there are encroachments on the NHAI roads.
Gadkari also stressed the importance of integrated transport system planning between road, metro, and rail agencies to make better use of scarce urban land and public resources. “India has transformed the journey between cities. Together, we can now transform everyday journeys within them,” the minister said.
