India today is proudly telling the world that it is the fastest road making country. Every month thousands of kilometers of new roads are being laid, expressway and highway nets are spreading. This achievement is a symbol of the speed of development. But a bitter and painful truth is hidden behind this achievement – millions of people are losing their lives in road accidents every year in India. From morning to evening, news of road accidents on every newspaper and channel remains in the headlines.
It is an irony that in the country where the speed of road construction is counted on global standards, the condition of road safety is the worst in the world. Roads are being built, but the safety of people on these roads is not being ensured. The question arises whether our policies are limited to making infrastructure only, while the defense of human life has been sidelined? The question also arises that where is the flaw? If seen, there are strict provisions in the Motor Vehicle Act in the country, but most states implement them in a half-hearted manner. In addition, there is a place for high speed on the new highway, but there is a lack of safe lane for pedestrians, cyclists and rural traffic. Also, it is common to drink alcohol, not wearing helmets and seat belts. In addition, not getting timely treatment after the accident is the biggest cause of deaths.
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If seen, it seems that governments have assumed that high speed = development, but the truth is that safe speed = sustainable development. The emphasis on the speed of road construction, the more emphasis should be on road safety. If millions of people continue to die on these roads every year, will the expansion of these roads be really called progress?
What is the path ahead, if focusing on it, then road safety should be made a national priority. The design of the new highway and expressway should be human life -focused. Traffic education should be made compulsory from school level and ensure trauma center and ambulance network within a radius of 50 km from every accident site. Also, a zero tolerance policy should be adopted on violation of traffic rules.
However, roads in India are being built fast, but until the safety of the people running on them is not ensured, this development will remain incomplete. Roads are not only a means of reaching the destination, they are also a stream of life. We have to decide whether we will only build roads or guarantee safe and happy journey on them.