Gadkari Proposes Modern Ambulance Plan to Curb Road Fatalities

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari expressed concern over high road accident fatalities, emphasizing the need for modern ambulances to reach accident sites within 10 minutes. The Centre plans to supply these ambulances to states, contingent upon swift response. Gadkari also addressed the challenge of reducing fatalities despite improved infrastructure.

Expressing alarm over the high number of road accident fatalities, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari announced that the Centre intends to supply states with modern ambulances, provided they can reach accident sites within 10 minutes.

During a session in the Rajya Sabha, Gadkari acknowledged the government's struggles to reduce deaths from road accidents, despite efforts to enhance road infrastructure. Senior Congress member Pramod Tiwari raised questions about the government's measures on road safety.

The minister highlighted that India experiences 5 lakh road accidents annually, resulting in around 1.8 lakh deaths, with 66% of victims aged 18-34. Gadkari emphasized the need for better traffic rule compliance and revealed plans to reward those aiding accident victims to improve response times.

(With inputs from agencies.)