PANAJI
Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari has written to Chief Minister Pramod Sawant calling for his “personal leadership” in tackling what he described as a road safety crisis in Goa and nationwide.
The letter comes ahead of National Road Safety Month in January, and seeks urgent implementation of zero-fatality solutions in high-risk corridors through scientific crash investigations, data analysis, and improvements in road engineering, signage, road markings, and setting up crash barriers.
The urgency is underscored by Goa’s grim accident statistics.
In October 2025 alone, the State recorded 200 road accidents, resulting in 18 fatalities and over 100 injuries.
North Goa reported 96 accidents, including eight fatal cases that led to nine deaths, while South Goa registered 104 accidents with nine fatalities. Earlier, in April 2025, 198 accidents had claimed 26 lives across both districts.
The Directorate of Transport’s monthly reports consistently highlight a disturbing pattern of fatalities and grievous injuries, pointing to systemic failures in enforcement and infrastructure.
Despite repeated warnings, local administration and related agencies have been lax in addressing road safety issues. Poorly maintained roads, inadequate signage, and weak enforcement of traffic rules continue to plague the State.
Adding to the concern is Goa’s apparent disregard for Supreme Court directions on road safety. The apex court’s Committee on Road Safety, constituted in 2014, mandated the formation of District Road Safety Committees headed by Collectors and including MPs.
These committees are required to meet regularly to monitor accident-prone stretches and recommend corrective measures. While South Goa has held a couple of meetings, North Goa’s committee has reportedly not met at all, in clear violation of the Supreme Court’s directives.
With Goa’s accident rate showing no signs of abating, the absence of coordinated district-level oversight has left high-risk corridors unaddressed and Gadkari’s letter is seemingly both a warning and a call to action.
