New Delhi [India], March 6 (ANI): Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari on Thursday highlighted the immediate need for improved road safety measures to put in place and called upon the road construction industry to develop strategies to enhance road safety by adopting newer technologies and sustainable recyclable construction materials.

Speaking after inaugurating two-day Global Road Infratech Summit and Expo (GRIS) with the theme 'Vision Zero: Sustainable Infratech and Policy for Safer Roads,' in New Delhi today, Gadkari observed that most of the road accidents that happen in the country are due to poor civil engineering practices in road design, construction, and management and improper road signages and marking systems.

He suggested that they can be rectified by emulating from what is being practiced in countries like Spain, Austria and Switzerland.

'India witnessed 4,80,000 road accidents, 1,80,000 deaths, and about 4,00,000 serious injuries. Out of these 1,40,000 accident deaths are in the age of 18-45 years and affecting mostly two-wheeler riders and pedestrians. These accidents contribute to an economic loss of 3 per cent to GDP,' Gadkari noted.

Holding engineers largely responsible for the rise in road accidents due to poor planning and design of roads, the Union Minister also pointed to substandard detailed project reports (DPRs).

'With road safety a top priority, the government aims to reduce accident rates by 50 per cent by 2030,' he added.

The Union Minister urged the industry and government to collaborate in finding solutions to prevent road accidents, emphasising the importance of education in building safer infrastructure and promoting awareness on safer driving habits.

He also highlighted the need for stronger law enforcement and responsive emergency medical services.

The summit being organised by the International Road Federation-India Chapter (IRF-IC) is crafted to inspire innovation, showcase cutting-edge solutions from industry providers, foster knowledge exchange, and open valuable networking opportunities for experts and decision-makers from government bodies and private organisations, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways stated.

The summit through the conference-cum-expo mode, aims to deliver a holistic experience that educates, inspires, and drives progress in the industry by seamlessly blending the formats', said K K Kapila, President Emeritus, International Road Federation (IRF) a global road safety body working for better and safer roads worldwide.

Susanna Zammataro, Director General, IRF, Geneva, Lt. Gen. Harpal Singh, President, IRF -India Chapter and Akhilesh Srivastva, Vice President, IRF, also spoke on the occasion. (ANI)