**Summary:**
In response to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 918, answered on July 24, 2025, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways addressed concerns regarding road infrastructure and safety issues on National Highways (NHs). The Ministry stated that all road works adhere to the standards, guidelines, manuals, and codes of practice of the Indian Roads Congress (IRC), as well as the specifications for Road and Bridge Works. The IRC guidelines mandate regular safety audits of all NHs at the design, construction, and pre-opening stages, as well as on existing NHs, to ensure road safety.
Regarding accident-prone black spots, out of 13,795 identified on NHs, short-term rectification measures have been completed on 11,866. Long-term rectification measures, recommended by road safety audit reports, are implemented where deemed necessary. These measures have been completed at 5,324 black spots, while 3,719 black spots were assessed as not requiring long-term interventions. Long-term rectification includes improvements to road geometry, junction improvements, carriageway widening, and the construction of underpasses/overpasses. The implementation of these measures can be time-consuming due to pre-construction activities such as land acquisition, forest clearance, and utility shifting.
The Ministry integrates road safety measures, based on road safety audits at the design stage, into all projects. Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) are prepared for each project to ensure that project-specific crash data and pedestrian safety measures are incorporated.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Road Transport and Highways: The ministry responsible for road transport and highways in India, answering the question in Lok Sabha.
Lok Sabha: The lower house of the Parliament of India, where the question was raised.
SHRI KALYAN BANERJEE: The Member of Parliament who raised the unstarred question.
SHRI NITIN JAIRAM GADKARI: The Minister of Road Transport and Highways who provided the answer.
National Highways: The network of highways maintained by the central government of India.
Indian Roads Congress: A premier technical organization in the field of highways engineering in India.
Detailed Project Report: A comprehensive report prepared for each project, ensuring that project-specific crash data and pedestrian safety measures are incorporated.
crash barriers: A road safety system designed to prevent vehicles from straying into dangerous areas
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 918
ANSWERED ON 24TH JULY, 2025
ROAD INFRASTRUCTURE AND SAFETY ISSUES
918. SHRI KALYAN BANERJEE:
Will the Minister of ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS
सड़क परिवहन औि िाजमार्ग मंत्री
be pleased to state:
(a) whether the Government has taken serious steps on safety flaws
in road infrastructure, including substandard crash barriers, over-
height medians, and raised carriageways, if so, the details thereof;
(b) whether out of 13,795 identified accident-prone black spots on
National Highways only 5,036 have been rectified so far, if so, the
details thereof;
(c) the present status of the remaining black spots as on date and
the concrete steps taken to review highway construction to ensure
safety compliance; and
(d) the steps taken to integrate India-specific crash data and
pedestrian safety into road upgrade projects?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS
(SHRI NITIN JAIRAM GADKARI)
(a) All road works are carried out as per standards, guidelines,
manual, code of practice of Indian Roads Congress as well as
specifications for Road and Bridge Works. Indian Road Congress
(IRC) Guidelines have been issued for regular safety audit of all NHsat design, construction, pre-opening stage of NH projects as well as
on existing NHs for ensuring road safety.
(b) & (c) Rectification of black spots is a continuous process and
temporary measures are taken on immediate basis. Out of total
13,795 blackspots identified on National Highways (NHs) in the
country, short-term rectification has been completed on 11,866
black spots. Long-term rectification measures, as recommended by
road safety audit reports, are implemented only at locations
deemed necessary. Accordingly, long-term measures have been
completed at 5,324 black spots, while 3,719 black spots have been
assessed as not requiring such long-term interventions.
Long term rectification works includes improvement of road
geometrics, junction improvements, spot widening of carriageway,
construction of underpasses/overpasses, etc. which involve pre-
construction activities such as land acquisition, forest clearance &
utility shifting which takes significant time.
(d) Necessary road safety measures are taken subsequent to road
safety audit at design stage. Further, Detailed Project Report (DPR)
is prepared separately for each project, and it is ensured that
project specific crash data and pedestrian safety measures are
incorporated in the project.
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