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Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Kiren Rijiju on Sunday emphasised the critical importance of road safety for all citizens at the Parliamentarians Car Rally 2025, held at the Constitution Club of India in New Delhi.
He highlighted India's alarming record of having the highest number of road accidents worldwide, stressing the need for awareness programs to prevent such incidents. "Road safety is very important for every citizen. When you go out on the road, there are many rules to prevent accidents. The highest number of road accidents in the world occur in our country. This is a matter of concern, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also said that awareness programs should be conducted to prevent road accidents...," he told ANI. The event, which saw participation from over 50 parliamentarians, aimed to promote responsible driving and road safety awareness. The rally followed a carefully planned route showcasing New Delhi's landmarks, with participants stopping at Traffic Park to review fundamental driving rules and test their knowledge of road safety signs. The minister's statements were echoed by JK Tyre & Industries Managing Director Anshuman Singhania, who noted that road safety goes beyond following rules and is ultimately about saving lives. The Parliamentarians Car Rally 2025 was the ninth edition of the annual event, which has been conceptualized by JK Tyre and the Constitution Club of India to bring together stakeholders and promote road safety awareness. Earlier, Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari highlighted the immediate need for improved road safety measures to put in place and called upon the road construction industry to develop strategies to enhance road safety by adopting newer technologies and sustainable recyclable construction materials. Speaking after inaugurating the two-day Global Road Infratech Summit and Expo (GRIS) with the theme "Vision Zero: Sustainable Infratech and Policy for Safer Roads" in New Delhi, Gadkari observed that most road accidents in the country occurred due to poor civil engineering practices in road design, construction, and management, as well as improper road signage and marking systems. Gadkari noted that India witnessed 4,80,000 road accidents, resulting in 1,80,000 deaths and approximately 4,00,000 serious injuries. He highlighted that out of these fatalities, 1,40,000 were in the age group of 18-45 years, with two-wheeler riders and pedestrians being the most affected. He further stated that these accidents contribute to an economic loss of 3 per cent to the country's GDP. Holding engineers largely responsible for the rise in road accidents due to poor planning and design of roads, the Union Minister also pointed to substandard detailed project reports (DPRs). "With road safety a top priority, the government aims to reduce accident rates by 50 per cent by 2030," he added. The Union Minister urged the industry and government to collaborate in finding solutions to prevent road accidents, emphasising the importance of education in building safer infrastructure and promoting awareness of safer driving habits. (ANI)
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