E-Paper
Only 4% of road stretches in Himachal have crash barriers: Agnihotri
Expressing concern, the deputy chief minister of Himachal said around 800 people lose their lives annually in road accidents in Himachal, mainly due to over-speeding, overloading and drunk driving
Himachal Pradesh deputy chief minister Mukesh Agnihotri on Tuesday said that the state has urged the Centre to install crash barriers at 252 blackspots in the state, adding that only 4% of the road stretches in Himachal have crash barriers at present.
“There are just 4% of road stretches in Himachal currently equipped with crash barriers, the state government has intensified efforts to improve road safety by adopting modern technology, strengthening enforcement, and upgrading infrastructure,” Agnihotri, who is also the state transport minister, said while speaking to HT.
Expressing concern, he said around 800 people lose their lives annually in road accidents in Himachal, mainly due to over-speeding, overloading and drunk driving. Nearly 600 accident black spots have been identified and addressed, though several more still require attention. “With crash barriers present on only 4% of road stretches, the department is undertaking a detailed exercise to address accident-prone locations,” he said.
“There are 519 blackspots identified in the state of which we are seeking help of Centre for rectification of 252 black spots,” added Agnihotri.
The state witnessed 1,920 accidents in 2025 of which 662 were fatal, killing 789 persons, as against 2,156 accidents reported in 2024 of which 741 were fatal, killing 869 persons.
“Overspeeding, overcrowding, alcoholism are main reason behind the accidents. 47%of accidents occurred on National Highways,” said Agnihotri.
Transport department to become revenue-generating
Chairing a meeting of the transport development and road safety committee, Agnihotri said the transport department is functioning as a revenue-generating organisation and will continue to do so in the future.
“Since the formation of the present government, the department has generated ₹2,600 crore in revenue, compared to ₹1,500 crore during the previous regime, registering an additional ₹1,100 crore. By 2027, revenue generation is projected to rise by another ₹1,500 crore,” he said.
Deputy CM said that in line with the IT age, the department is shifting from manual systems to auto-approval mechanisms. “Within the next four to five months, most authorisations, including driving licences, vehicle fitness certificates, permits and other services, will be issued online with auto-generation, eliminating the need for citizens and vehicle owners to visit transport offices,” he said.
The Transport Minister said vehicle scrapping centres have been established at Solan and Hamirpur, where 1,692 vehicles have already been scrapped.
Providing key statistics, Agnihotri said the state has 24,48,291 registered vehicles, translating to one vehicle for every nine persons. He said 26% e-challaning coverage has been achieved, with efforts underway to make the system fully foolproof.
On emergency response, Agnihotri said EV charging stations are being developed along six green corridors, with 129 locations identified and 434 more under survey. Good Samaritans helping accident victims are being rewarded with ₹25,000, while accident patients are entitled to treatment support of up to ₹1.5 lakh for seven days, borne by the state government. In hit-and-run cases, compensation of ₹2 lakh for the deceased and ₹50,000 for the injured is being provided.
Deputy CM launches new online portal
Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri launched the online reservation application for Jal Shakti Vibhag (JSV) Rest Houses on Tuesday.
The new platform is designed to streamline the booking process, ensuring transparency and efficiency for both departmental officials and the general public.
Speaking at the launch, the deputy CM said , “This digital initiative will eliminate the uncertainty and long wait times previously associated with room confirmations. By providing status updates within minutes, we are ensuring a hassle-free experience for all guests.”
Providing further details on the initiative, secretary (Jal Shakti) Abhishek Jain noted that the department manages an extensive network of 87 rest houses across the state, offering a total of 324 rooms. He said that reservations are confirmed within two to three minutes of application. Bookings can be made directly via the official portal at jsv.hp.nic.in or jsvresthouse.hp.gov.in
Jain said that there is normal tariff of ₹500 for Himachali’s and ₹1,000 for Non Himachali’s. The guest will have to pay half the advance at the time of booking and the rest half later at checkout.
.
