For any country to make steady progress, safe roads are of paramount importance and India is no exception. Millions of Indians use roads on a daily basis to get to their place of work or study and in doing so, contribute productively to the economy. Besides, roads are also major facilitators of trade and commerce. If you’re wondering as to how safe Indian roads actually are, the India Road Safety Index has all the answers.
In 2016, Maruti Suzuki introduced the comprehensive Road Safety Index and rated 8 cities as part of the India Road Safety Mission. In 2017, the scope of the study was widened, the methodology was revamped and additional parameters were included so as to come up with as comprehensive an index as possible. The 2017 Index sought the participation of both, experts and public, and ranked 10 cities on key parameters related to road safety. The Index will go a long way in setting benchmarks nationally in the field of Road Safety.
India Road Safety Index 2017, at a glance
Here’s looking at the parameters that were a part of the Index, the cities that won and the differentiators for the winning cities.
- Pedestrian Rights / Road Safety: No city can claim to pass the road safety test, if there aren’t sufficient pedestrian-focused initiatives. A road belongs as much to a pedestrian as it does to a motorist. Hence, it’s imperative to have zebra crossings on busy roads, cycling tracks and no-vehicle days so that pedestrians feel safe on the road. Raipur is the one city that aced this parameter, followed by Indore and Delhi.
The Index ranks Raipur first in terms of Road Safety as well. There are sufficient safety banners in the city coupled with well-marked traffic signs.
- Road Lighting and Maintenance / Road Safety For Children: Well-lit roads, city squares and public spaces are the hallmarks of any urban establishment. They not only make citizens feel safe, but also result in less number of accidents. Keeping in mind energy conservation, it is also essential that cities use solar-powered lights. Trust Kolkata to check all the right boxes and top in this category.
The City of Joy also has the safest roads when it comes to ensuring children’s safety. From conducting road safety awareness programs in schools to creating silver zones around residential areas and schools, Kolkata knows how to keep its children safe on the roads.
- Motor Laws and Traffic Control: For any city’s roads to be safe, there need to be strict laws against drunken driving and efficient traffic management, specially during peak hours and in congested areas. Chennai races past other cities in this aspect, followed by Ahmedabad and Kolkata.
- Emergency Services / Road Transport Infrastructure / Heavy Vehicle Traffic Management: Ahmedabad is the best city when it comes to providing emergency services such as police, ambulance and fire. 80 percent of the respondents were satisfied with how prompt the emergency services were in the city. This was in fact the highest satisfaction level seen across all 10 cities.
The city also has an impressive road transport infrastructure in the form of efficient drainage systems, dedicated bus lanes and availability of parking space. Ahmedabad also tops in the Heavy Vehicle Management category. The city has stringent checks in place to monitor heavy vehicles entering and leaving the city. There are also restrictions on heavy vehicles plying in the city during peak hours so as to not disturb regular traffic.
- Road Cleanliness: There are few things as pleasing as clean roads in a city and this is only possible with a mechanism in place that ensures efficient waste collection, segregation and disposal. To increase citizen participation, there should also be incentives for undertaking cleanliness drives. The city that won hands down in this department is Indore.
- Connectivity / Road Quality: Delhi walks away with the top honours in the Connectivity and Road Quality categories. The city’s extensive metro network offers excellent connectivity to neighbouring Gurgaon and Noida. There are numerous flyovers across the length and breadth of the city that help in decongestion of busy areas. The overall quality of roads in Delhi is also much better than that of other cities.
- Differently-abled Friendly: The Road Safety Index pegged Mumbai to be the most inclusive city as it has reservations in local transport and private cab services for the differently-abled.
While the Road Safety Index is definitely an encouragement for the cities that have won, it’s also a wake-up call for other cities to up the ante when it comes to road safety. It is only with such collective efforts can we realise our dreams of #HappyRoads.
Let’s hope the authorities are taking note while we pledge to do our own bit towards happier, safer Indian roads. For more information about Maruti Suzuki’s initiative and the Road Safety Index click here.
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