Hyderabad: Former Supreme Court judge and Chairman of the Supreme Court Committee on Road Safety, Justice Abhay Manohar Sapre, conducted a state-level review meeting on road safety in Hyderabad on Wednesday. The session focused on accident data, preventive measures, and inter-departmental coordination aimed at reducing road fatalities in Telangana.
Senior officials including the Chief Secretary, Director General of Police, Transport Commissioner, and Secretaries from key departments Home, Education, Law, R&B, Panchayat Raj, and HMDA attended the review meeting. District officials, engineers, and representatives from emergency services and stakeholder agencies also participated.
Telangana sees 148% vehicle growth; 2024 accident toll remains high
Transport Commissioner C. Ramesh presented alarming statistics. Between 2014 and 2025, vehicle registrations in Telangana surged by 148%, reaching 1.77 crore. In 2024 alone, the state recorded 25,986 accidents, resulting in 7,949 deaths and over 23,000 injuries. Though 2025 has so far reported a slight drop in fatalities, Telangana still ranks 8th nationally in total accidents and 10th in deaths.
Government prioritizes road safety with tech-driven, youth-focused initiatives
Highlighting the state’s commitment, the Commissioner outlined several initiatives:
- Traffic Awareness Parks: Set up to educate children, with plans for one in each district by 2026.
- Curriculum Integration: Road safety modules being developed for school syllabi, using AI-based tools.
- Road Safety Clubs: Operational in 57 institutions, promoting student-led awareness campaigns.
- Public Outreach: Safety pamphlets distributed to new drivers and vehicle owners.
- Cashless Treatment Scheme–2025: Offers ₹1.5 lakh for golden hour emergency care.
- Electronic Enforcement: Use of ANPR and AI-enabled traffic cameras.
- Road Safety Fund: Financed through a cess on new vehicle purchases.
- Multi-agency coordination to fix black spots, enforce compliance
DGP Ravi Gupta informed that black spot identification is ongoing across national highways, and rectification is being coordinated with NHAI and engineering departments. HMDA and HGCL are also set to roll out AI-based cameras on the Outer Ring Road within six months to detect violations like speeding and mobile phone usage.
- Sapre calls for monthly reviews, zero-delay pothole repairs, and compliance checks
- Justice Sapre appreciated the state’s multi-pronged efforts but stressed urgency and accountability. He instructed:
- Monthly District Road Safety Committee meetings
- Immediate rectification of potholes and black spots
- Mandatory valid licenses and insurance for all 3 lakh government employees
- Automated alerts for expiring licenses and vehicle insurance
He urged all departments to collaborate on reducing road deaths, aiming to make Telangana a national model in road safety.
