Congress flag.
Credit: PTI Photo
Mumbai: Pointing out that the financial capital of Mumbai reported 1,895 road accidents in 2022, in which 371 people lost their lives, the Congress wanted to know the steps being taken by the Maharashtra government to address this matter of concern.
The issue was raised by Mumbai Regional Congress Committee (MRCC) President and MLA Prof. Varsha Gaikwad in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly.
"As many as 1,895 road accidents occurred in Mumbai in 2022 in which 371 people lost their lives, which is a matter of great concern. Yet, no urgency is seen from the government. We have traffic regulations but they are not being implemented. Looking at these figures, what measures will the government take to prevent road accidents in the city?" Prof Gaikwad asked.
Gaikwad, a former Maharashtra minister, said bad road conditions and lack of management in rule implementation are the primary causes of accidents.
"Roads are narrow in many places, leading to diversions. Drivers often don't realize, resulting in many accidents. Most accidents occur in specific accident-prone areas, but the government is not taking it seriously. To reduce the number of road accidents, there is a need for more stringent rules and imposing strict fines and penalties for the violation of traffic rules," Gaikwad said, adding that a close eye needs to be kept on vehicles to reduce accidents.
"But to enable that, the number of traffic police and RTO employees is insufficient. Many posts in RTO and Traffic Police still lie vacant. When will the government fill these vacant posts?"