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Aam Aadmi Party MP Sanjay Singh on Wednesday submitted a Zero Hour notice in the Rajya Sabha seeking a discussion on the demand for strong national laws and accountability for safe roads across India, highlighting the growing number of road accidents caused by potholes and poor road maintenance across the country.
In his notice to the Upper House, Singh cited the alarming rise in accidents and fatalities nationwide and stressed that citizens are paying the price for negligence in infrastructure and governance. Quoting official data, Singh said, "According to the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways' Road Accidents in India - 2023 report, approximately 4.8 lakh road accidents were recorded nationwide in 2023, resulting in the loss of about 1.72 lakh lives that is, one death every three minutes on average. This reflects a rise of 4.2% in accidents and 2.6% in fatalities compared to the previous year." "Of grave concern is that in 2023 alone, 2,161 people died due to potholes, marking an increase of approximately 16.4% over the previous year. Uttar Pradesh accounts for more than half of these deaths, highlighting asevere crisis in road maintenance and safety within the State. Moreover, these figures likely underestimate the true toll, as many accidents and resultant fatalities go unreported, leaving families without justice or compensation," it further read. To underline the seriousness of the issue, he referred to the death of a three-year-old child in a pothole-related accident on a national highway near Delhi, adding that the family is still waiting for accountability. Through his Zero Hour notice, Singh demanded to frame a clear accountability framework to ensure that contractors, project managers, and government officials areheld criminally accountable for deaths or serious injuries caused by unsafe roads. He also called for enacting strong national laws to guarantee speedy justice for victims and their families. "This accountability must apply to all roads across the country, including national highways, state highways, city roads, rural roads, and local streets," the notice read. Sanjay Singh requested the Chair's permission to raise the issue during Zero Hour, saying the matter concerns public safety and the right of citizens to travel without fear. Meanwhile, several papers will be laid on the Table of the Lok Sabha on Thursday during the ongoing Budget Session by various Ministries. (ANI)
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