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Here’s How Public-Private Partnerships Can Help Better Road Safety

SRFG hosted the ‘SaferRoadsforSaferLives’ initiative in association with The Quint.

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India
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In 2018, India witnessed over 1.51 lakh fatalities in road accidents according to the latest report by Ministry of Road Transport and Highways. It is understood that road accidents are rarely the result of a single factor but are caused due to multiple contributors – the driver, the road and the vehicle. In this case, road safety issues can be improved only if we address all these contributory factors.

Traditional sources of public funding are mostly incapable of meeting the demands. These budgetary constraints put the road safety issue at great risk. Hence, partnerships become essential – especially public-private partnerships (PPP) - not only for improving road infrastructure, but also for educating drivers and road users, and reinforcing laws. These partnerships require community, government, business, as well as civil society to create synergies for the benefit of the entire community.

Improving road infrastructure

Making sure that we develop safe road infrastructure can result in immediate improvement. PPP model, which was introduced by then Maharashtra PWD Minister, Nitin Gadkari, have emerged out as a more economical and efficient mode of developing good road infrastructure in India. This created several success stories by providing efficient and effective infrastructure services.

PPP has thus been extended to other ways to ensure in road safety in India. More recently, it has been observed that raising awareness and educating people on road safety can result in safer roads.

Raising awareness on road safety

Since human error makes the difference between hazard and safety in road traffic, road safety awareness becomes imperative.

During the celebration of the Road Safety Week in 2018, Road Transport Minister Gadkari appealed to the corporates in India to get involved in the prevention of road accidents. In 2018, world’s largest brewer, Anheuser-Busch InBev launched the #SaferRoadsForGurugram (SRFG) initiative under an MoU with the Road and Transport department of Haryana government.

SRFG hosted the ‘SaferRoadsforSaferLives’ initiative in association with The Quint.
Ben Verhaert, President (South Asia), Anheuser-Busch InBev, with Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways, at the launch of SRFG dashboard.
(Photo Source: The Quint)

It is a PPP that brought together government, industry associations, academia, research, NGOs and corporates to tackle road safety in the country, with an initial focus on Gurugram.

The current list of the Working Group members includes DLF Foundation, OLA Cabs, AB InBev (facilitating/integrating organization), Safe Road Foundation, India Road Safety Campaign, All India Motor Transport Congress, CSIR-Central Road Research Institute (CRRI), United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), the Transport Department (Government of Haryana), PepsiCo India, Apollo Tyres.

It enables committed organizations to provide support in planning, implementing, monitoring and evaluating various road safety initiatives. It focuses on both strengthening the existing mechanisms and systems as well as helping to create and implement unique and innovative solutions.

SRFG hosted the 'SaferRoadsforSaferLives’ initiative in association with The Quint where Gadkari launched a road safety data dashboard for the city of Gurugram. The dashboard uses FIR (First Information Report) data collected by the Traffic Police of Haryana from the last four years and indicates major factors causing road accidents in the state.

The dashboard is a one-stop reference tool for various stakeholders – the decision makers in the government, scholars, investors etc. for road accident related information in Gurugram. It helps identify key factors responsible for road accidents, which can help to plan policies and awareness and education programs in a focused manner.

It shows a very clear picture of the severity of various black spots in the city, while giving details on more accident-prone gender, age, time, month, etc. This dashboard will help implement appropriate measures to accelerate the progress towards safer roads. The government is already implementing a host of interventions to make our roads safer. This dashboard will help see how the unsafe road behaviors change with regards to the measures taken over the months and years to come. Click here to see the tool for yourself.

The use of PPP in road sector is increasing around the world due to its ability to fund infrastructure projects and improve efficiency and quality in the provision, as well as educate and inform users proficiently. In India, there are several PPP models already in use and are running successfully. These have proved that combined effort to better infrastructure and create awareness can produce a positive result and be a game-changer.

(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)

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Topics:  Nitin Gadkari   Road Safety   Gurugram 

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