Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, stressed the immediate need for improved road safety measures and urged the road construction sector to adopt new technologies and sustainable construction materials. Speaking at the two-day Global Road Infratech Summit & Expo (GRIS) in New Delhi, with the theme "Vision Zero: Sustainable Infratech and Policy for Safer Roads," Shri Gadkari pointed out that a significant number of road accidents in India occur due to inadequate civil engineering practices in road design, construction, and management, as well as poor road signage and markings. He recommended adopting practices from countries like Spain, Austria, and Switzerland to resolve these issues.

India records approximately 4,80,000 road accidents annually, resulting in 1,80,000 deaths and about 4,00,000 severe injuries. The majority of fatalities involve two-wheeler riders and pedestrians, with 1,40,000 deaths occurring in the 18-45 age group. These accidents contribute to an economic loss of 3% of GDP. Shri Gadkari placed blame on poor planning and design by engineers and criticised substandard project reports (DPRs). With road safety as a top priority, the government is aiming to reduce accident rates by 50% by 2030.

Gadkari also urged the industry and government to work together to find solutions for reducing road accidents, highlighting the need for stronger law enforcement and better emergency medical services.