Union Minister Nitin Gadkari Unveils CARTS — A Technological Leap To Improve Road Safety In India

Union Minister for road transport and highways, Nitin Gadkari, launched the Centre for Advancement of Road Traffic Safety (CARTS) on Thursday (20 July), in New Delhi.

CARTS will utilise technology-based solutions to assess crash blackspots and make necessary improvements. The centre aims to function as an operational nerve-centre for implementing and monitoring road safety projects across India.

This includes the ministry's flagship zero fatality corridor (ZFC) and zero fatality district (ZFD) programmes.

The goal is to reduce road crash fatalities by 50 per cent in 100 high-priority districts and 100 highway corridors over the next five years. The selection of corridors and districts for this project is currently underway.

During his visit to the centre, Gadkari examined its crash investigation, analysis, and mitigation capabilities, reports Hindustan Times.

The facility, established by SaveLIFE Foundation, includes ZFC data dashboards that provide real-time project information on road lengths, fatality counts, trends, and concerns related to enforcement, emergency care, and engineering.

The establishment of this centre, which utilises data analytics and a problem-solving approach, will play a vital role in reducing road crash fatalities nationwide, according to Piyush Tewari, the founder and CEO of SaveLIFE Foundation.

Further, the Union Minister emphasised the government's commitment to urgently reducing road crashes in India.

He highlighted the importance of technology and innovation in addressing the magnitude of the problem and achieving the desired outcomes.

India experiences a high number of road crashes annually due to factors like reckless driving, non-compliance with traffic rules, and mixed road users.

These contribute to significant fatalities and injuries, highlighting the need for enhanced road safety measures and responsible driving habits.

The ZFC model has been implemented on state and national highways and expressways in 16 states across India.

Following a thorough scientific analysis of these stretches and the crashes witnessed there, interventions across the 4E’s of road safety, namely — engineering, enforcement, emergency care and engagement — are deployed to make them safer. 

According to their data, this model has resulted in a significant reduction in road crash fatalities.

On the Old Mumbai-Pune highway, there has been a decrease of over 63 per cent in road crash fatalities.

Similarly, on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway, there has been a decline of 52 per cent between 2016 and 2020, and on the Yamuna Expressway, there has been a decline of 38 per cent between 2019 and 2021.

The centre will play an active role in supporting road-owning agencies and district administrations by identifying and addressing issues that contribute to road crashes and resulting fatalities.