Question : National Rural Road Development Agency

(a) whether with rapid expansion in road network under Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana(PMGSY) the number of road accidents in rural areas have increased or decreased, if so, the details thereof along with the percentage of road accident fatalities reported in rural areas during the last three years and the current year, State/UT-wise;

(b) whether the National Rural Road Development Agency (NRRDA) under the Ministry of Rural Development has advised the State Governments to create a separate cell for taking care of the road safety issues;

(c) if so, the details thereof; and

(d) whether the Government has issued directions to the State Governments to make budgetary provision for formulation, execution, monitoring and evaluation of rural road safety annual plan of action; and

(e) if so, the response of the State Governments thereto?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT
(SHRI FAGGAN SINGH KULASTE)

(a) Rural Roads is a State subject and roads under PMGSY are constructed and maintained by the states. The Ministry does not maintain the data of road accidents.

(b) & (c) NRIDA has issued advisory (copy enclosed as Annexure-I) to the states on Road Safety advising them to constitute an in-house separate cell with the existing technical staff to monitor the road safety issues during planning, construction and operation of PMGSY projects.

Further, PMGSY-III guidelines also specify that safety aspects have to be an integral part of road design during the preparation of Detailed Project Reports (DPRs). It is mandated to undertake design stage road safety audit of all PMGSY-III roads, which are more than 5 km in length. NRIDA has issued detailed guidelines in this regard on 06.10.2020. So far, Design Stage Road Safety Audit has been conducted for 3,899 roads sanctioned under PMGSY-III.

NRIDA has also circulated a list of 830 certified Road Safety Auditors who have completed two-week course on road safety audit conducted by Government recognized institutes such as Indian Academy of Highway Engineers (IAHE), Central Road Research Institute (CRRI), Asian Institute of Transport Development (AITD) etc. The States have been advised to use these Road Safety Auditors for conducting Road Safety Audits of PMGSY roads.

(d) & (e) The cost of implementing the engineering measures for road safety (excluding land acquisition), is a part of construction cost and is included in the Detailed Project Report. Further, States have been advised to make necessary budgetary provisions for establishment of Road Safety Cell and to develop and monitor their own Rural Road Safety Annual Action Plan through a circular dated 07.02.2017 (copy enclosed as Annexure-I).


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