2,015 pedestrians lost their lives due to potholes in 2018: Govt

A total of 22,656 pedestrians were killed in various incidents including 2015 people who lost their lives on the roads due to potholes across India in 2018, the Ministry of Transport and Highways said on Monday.

In a reply to a query about pedestrian deaths across India in the Rajya Sabha, the ministry said in 2018 a total of 22,656 were killed while in 2017 the figure of pedestrians' death was 20457. In 2016, a total of 15,746 pedestrians lost their lives and in 2015, the figure of the number of pedestrians killed was 13,894.

The figures clearly show that despite Central and state governments' awareness programmes pedestrian deaths have increased across the country.

The worst state for pedestrians in 2018 was West Bengal with 2,618 deaths. In 2017, the maximum pedestrian deaths were reported from Tamil Nadu with 3,507 cases. In 2016 and 2015, Tamil Nadu again reported the maximum number of deaths with 2,966 and 2,618 cases ,respectively.

Replying to a question on the deaths due to potholes, the ministry said that in 2018, a total of 4,869 accidents took place on roads with potholes and 2015 persons were killed on these roads.

The ministry said that due to the awareness programme the figure has come down to almost one third compared to 2017 during which a total of 9,423 accidents took place on roads with potholes and 3,597 people lost their lives on such roads.

In 2016, 6,424 accidents took place on roads with potholes and 2,324 people lost their lives. In 2015, 10,876 accidents took place because of potholes, 3,416 people lost their lives because of it and in 2014, a total of 11,106 accidents took place due to potholes and 3,039 people lost their lives.

The ministry stated that in 2018 the maximum number of deaths due to potholes happened in Uttar Pradesh with 1043 deaths followed by Haryana with 222 cases and thereafter by Maharashtra with 166 deaths.

In 2017, again the maximum number of deaths due to potholes took place in Uttar Pradesh with 987 cases followed by Maharashtra with 726 deaths and Haryana with 522 fatalities. In 2016 again, the maximum number of persons killed on the roads due to potholes was in Uttar Pradesh with 714 deaths, followed by Maharashtra with 329 cases and Odisha with 208 cases.