Karnataka preparing Rs 578-crore road safety programme

The Road Safety Authority is drawing up a Rs 578-crore project for reducing accidents in Karnataka, which topped the list of states with a high number of fatal road accidents in 2020.

Karnataka is one of the 14 states, including Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu, where the road safety improvement programme will be implemented.

The project, spread over the next five years, will focus on 11 major parameters, including driver training, road engineering, vehicle safety, enforcement and post-crash care.

In addition, the state government can choose three electives based on specific needs.

Senior officials said the overall expenditure on 14 states was Rs 6,725 crore, which is being distributed as per the particular needs.

Of the Rs 578 crore allocated to Karnataka, the release of funds will be based on key performance indicators.

The Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (Morth) is funding 50 per cent of the project, while the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank will provide the remaining amount through equal loan amounts.

“Karnataka needs this programme in view of the growth of the vehicle population over the last few years. We will soon propose the roadmap of the programme to the Transport department, following which the document will be sent for approval from the state and the Centre,” said J Gnanendra Kumar, additional commissioner, Road Safety Cell. He said the Authority will work on building an integrated road accident database that will help identify blackspots and bring transparency and accountability to the sector.

“There is a need for creating awareness among the public and we believe it should start with the school curriculum. Our proposal will take into account the holistic aspect of road safety,” he noted.

Gnanendra said the emphasis of the programme will be on reducing accidents and fatalities, with a focus on two-wheeler riders and pedestrians.

Deaths due to traffic accidents in Karnataka have come down from 11,286 in 2016 to 10,951 in 2019 and dropping to 7,809 in 2020.

Officials said lockdown and travel restrictions were major factors for the reduction.

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