Indian Government in association of World Bank

The number of road casualties in one of the fastest growing auto market, India, is increasing tremendously accounting a total of 2,00,000 deaths annually.  The reason being for this increment in fatalities is the path holes and lack of repairing measures for the Indian roads. The country in association with the World Bank has planned out a project so as to reduce the number of deaths and to increase safety measures with Indian roads. India acquires only one percent of the world vehicles but measures 15 percent of global road fatalities.

Also the growing enthusiasm among the Indian youngsters taking the power and speed of their bikes has been one of the reason for the increasing number of road accidents in the country. The project launched for reduction in the number of road fatalities will implement International Road Assessment Program (iRAP), which is to assist the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways and state Public Works Departments in some of the specific states like Assam, Gujarat and Karnataka. With this the Indian government assures to improve road safety on 3,000 km of high-risk roads.

Making a comparison with the auto boomed country, China, it is enquired that India measures 1,26,500 more deaths than that of China.

Press Release:

“The inspections will help identify affordable improvements that can dramatically reduce road death and injury. We know, for example, that the provision of flexible posts in the centre of the road can significantly reduce head-on crashes,” said iRAP Asia Pacific Regional Director Greg Smith.

With the Launch of the project, World Bank Country Director Roberto Zagha said, “No other country has ever had such a high number of vulnerable road users. Given the scale of this unique challenge, India cannot afford to emulate the slow path to safer roads taken by the high-income countries; rapid and innovative action is needed if a major public health crisis is to be averted.”