E-enforcement, more funds to enhance road safety in state

Maharashtra allocates ₹150 crore to each district for road safety, enhancing monitoring and addressing accident hotspots amid rising fatalities.

MUMBAI: Road safety has been given a boost throughout the state, with each district set to receive ₹150 crore for this purpose. In addition, the state government has given the transport department the go-ahead to enhance monitoring of motorists through e-enforcement.

E-enforcement, more funds to enhance road safety in state

The district-wise allocation has come a year after the state government announced a Road Safety Fund due to the significant number of road accidents and fatalities in Maharashtra. Of the ₹15,000 crore allotted for 2025-26, each district will receive 1%, or ₹150 crore, to exclusively carry out road safety work and fix problem areas on highways and arterial roads.

Last year, between January and November, the Mumbai Metropolitan Region clocked 4,935 road accidents, including 2,319 in Mumbai. Of the 1,108 deaths, 299 were reported in Mumbai. The state recorded 13,823 fatalities from 32,801 road accidents during this period.

“Despite being approved, the Road Safety Fund did not gain traction due to the assembly elections and other administrative reasons. Now that funds are being allocated, 8-10 districts have formed teams to discuss road safety and steps to curb accidents and fatalities,” said a senior official from the transport department.

At the district level, a five-seven member team comprising district collectors or district magistrates, representatives of various government departments such as the Public Works Department, RTOs, Superintendent of Police and other stakeholders will work out ways to address location-specific road accidents and reduce fatalities. Currently, more than 1,000 blind spots have been identified across Maharashtra, as well as other areas prone to road accidents. Other challenges that will be tackled are blind turns, cutting/trimming of trees, filling potholes and correcting the geometry of roads.

Tech to the rescue

A proposal by the state for monitoring roads and highways through e-enforcement has been approved by the Centre. Sources in the Regional Transport Office (RTO) said that, unlike in the past when data on road accidents and fatalities was not easily available, the use of advanced technology can help keep track of blind spots across districts and talukas. As it is a capital-intensive project, pegged at around ₹20,000 crore, the state had asked the Centre to pitch in with funding.

“We had suggested a centrally sponsored scheme, which has received in-principle approval from the Government of India,” said an official from the transport department. The plan largely involves installation of more CCTVs, better tech at RTOs, automatic driving tracks, and the adoption of artificial intelligence to improve road safety.

Border check posts to go

To facilitate the movement of heavy vehicles, the state government will abolish check posts meant for tankers, trailers and container trucks at the border. The state has 22 check posts on its border with the neighbouring states of Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Goa, Telangana and Chhattisgarh. At these check posts, all vehicles, especially commercial and goods carriers entering the state, are checked.