Maharashtra: The grand plan that saved 500 lives on state roads this year

Officials interact with motorists as part of the six-month safety campaign on Mumbai-Pune road

The number of deaths in road accidents across Maharashtra dropped significantly in the first four months of this year - compared to the same period in 2022 - according to latest statistics. mid-day lists the efforts by the Regional Transport Office (RTO) and the highway traffic police that helped achieve this distinction.

It started with a six-month campaign on the Mumbai-Pune stretch in late 2022, followed by the implementation of a long-term solution, compiling taluka-wise accident data of the entire state, and on-the-spot enforcement of road safety measures. In total, 11,227 accidents and 4,922 deaths were witnessed from January till the end of April. The corresponding figures for the same period in the previous year were 11,358 and 5,414 respectively.

Dr Ravinder Singal, ADGP, highway traffic, Maharashtra

Six-month drive

Starting December 1, 2022, the authorities started a 24x7 mass drive with full-fledged staff to crack down on all kinds of traffic violators. For this campaign, 30 staff members from the Mumbai, Panvel, Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad RTO offices were roped in to serve on 12 squads. Six squads with 15 officers each were posted to expressways and highways in interceptor vehicles. The figures are from two RTO jurisdictions, Pimpri-Chinchwad and Panvel, from where the expressway passes. The drive has received the support of NGOs, the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation and a number of road safety organisations.

Also Read: Mumbai: Soon, no more stopping at Vakola signal on WEH

Steps taken

The RTO and police authorities came up with a seven-point action plan. Their first target was over-speeders. All those found speeding are taken to toll booths where counselling cabins and teams have been set up and made to watch an awareness film on how speed kills and participate in a question-and-answer session. Once this is done, the violator will have to take an oath and vow never to cross the speed limit again. Then, the violator will be issued their Q&A marks followed by a completion certificate endorsing that he/she has undergone a counselling session.

The RTO and police authorities involved in the six-month drive came up with a seven-point action plan

Along the Mumbai-Pune stretch, another crucial point on the highway was noticed between Lonavala and the Khalapur toll naka, where there is a falling gradient. It is here that most drivers switch off their engines, put their vehicles in neutral gear and allow them to glide, which is a dangerous trend. A squad was posted at that point to advise motorists against doing such things.

As per details, the other major focus was on seat belts where RTO teams counselled a large number of motorists and found that the person sitting next to the driver usually does not wear a seat belt. Those taking part in the safety campaign also cracked down on those violating lane discipline, ferrying excess passengers, helmetless travel and illegal and random parking. Awareness banners and placards were also placed across the highway.

Scientific approach

Besides the sustained campaign, the compilation of a database has made a massive impact. Earlier, the authorities never had a comprehensive database and used to act in an ad hoc manner with regard to dealing with accidents. Their proposals in connection with safety measures, as per their investigations into mishaps, would get stuck in red tape and the implementation of the steps would take time. The newly constituted Road Safety Cell in October 2022, however, ushered in change.

Bharat Kalaskar, deputy transport commissioner (road safety cell) and transport officer, said, "A scientific approach to the entire matter seems to be solving the issue. We summoned teams from all 50 RTOs from all 36 districts in Maharashtra to the head office. There are 358 talukas and we prepared a taluka-wise accident database, including minute details about accident-prone roads, black spots, timings when most mishaps occur, the kinds of fatalities and vehicles involved. The list took time to prepare, but it is now ready. This helped us understand trends and work out solutions. Every time there is an accident, we have been going back to the database to find an answer and fix things so that there is no repetition."

‘Fixing' the issue entails road engineering and putting in place barricades and signage so that the cause of the mishap is eliminated. But there was a crucial issue: funds. "Every time we worked out a safety proposal and sent it to the government, it used to get stuck in red tape and the actual implementation of safety measures used to take time. Even the smallest suggestion of putting up signs used to get stuck due to fund-related issues," Kalaskar stated.

Enforcement and action

"We then approached the government. On our recommendations, it came out with a government resolution (GR), which states that about one per cent of funds from the respective District Planning and Development Council (DPDC) can be used for road safety work. The DPDC gets several crores from the state government for upgrades and routine expenses. Even one per cent of this amount is a lot when it comes to road safety. This means that we do not have to send proposals for minor road safety measures as funds are now readily available," he explained.

Bharat Kalaskar and Piyush Tewari

Kalaskar added, "If one looks at the state-wide data, around 500 deaths have been reduced in the first four months in the state due to the database and campaign along major highways," he added. Dr Ravinder Singal, additional director general of police, highway traffic, Maharashtra, told mid-day, "The successful outcome can be attributed to a series of comprehensive measures implemented by the Highway Safety Patrol. One notable initiative is our safety campaign on the Mumbai-Pune stretch, which aims to raise awareness about road safety and encourage responsible driving practices. Additionally, the compilation of taluka-wise accident data has provided valuable insights for better understanding accident patterns and implementing targeted interventions."

He added, "The effective enforcement of road safety measures has played a crucial role in improving the overall safety of the roads. These combined efforts have led to a notable reduction in accidents, and the positive impact is evident in the statistical data. Every day, our staff makes tremendous efforts at the state level. We focus on a target-oriented approach, particularly on highways, as each area presents different challenges. We also collaborate with NGOs to enhance our approach. Our comprehensive approach to data collection has been instrumental in our success."

Crash analysis

As per the data, most accidents in the state happen between midnight and 6 am despite there being less traffic on the streets, and they involve two-wheelers and pedestrians. About 45 per cent of crashes happened in rural regions. About 50 per cent of fatalities also happened during the nighttime, as people possibly tend to over-speed and break traffic regulations due to the absence of policing. Disturbingly, 80 per cent of fatalities in all districts involved pedestrians and motorcyclists.

In Mumbai, police enforcement drives, including deployment of electronic enforcement equipment such as speed guns, under Section 136A of the Motor Vehicle (Amendment) Act 2019, have helped in a big way.

Experts' opinions

Piyush Tewari, CEO and founder, SaveLIFE Foundation, attributed the reduction in road crash fatalities to two key interventions. "The first is enhanced and visible enforcement by the transport department via interceptors. This is creating deterrence of violations and must be continued. Enforcement, especially at night hours, must be carried out to ensure a more significant and sustained reduction in deaths," he said.

He added, "The second is redressal of engineering issues, especially on key road corridors such as the Mumbai-Pune expressway and NH48. District-level action, led by collectors, to address black spots has also given good results and must be continued." Nitin Dossa, executive chairman of the Western India Automobile Association, said the campaign should be continued in order to save lives.

A V Shenoy, senior transport expert with the Mumbai Mobility Forum and Mumbai Vikas Samiti, said, "We need to have a road safety commissioner on the lines of the railway safety commissioner to look into the cause of every accident and take corrective and preventive actions in line with the ISO 9000 standard. He must inspect the highway plan at the design stage and give his comments. Without this inspection and certification, the highway should not be thrown open for traffic. Drivers must undergo periodic driving tests for the renewal of licences."

Speed kills

Ranjit Gadgil, programme director at Parisar, a body working on road safety and sustainable development, stated that speed contributed to about 70 per cent of the total deaths in road crashes in 2021 as per the annual Road Accidents in India report. "Reducing speed limits to safer levels along with effective enforcement and proper monitoring will help reduce the number of deaths in a short span of time," he said.

Transport expert and IIT engineer Sudhir Badami said, "India has a dubious record when it comes to road fatalities. These fatalities occur because of incomplete design implementation or wearing off of some features such as road markings, leading to crashes. Adequate warning features such as yellow blinker lights and rumblers help prevent accidents."

358
No of talukas in state