Road accidents: Maharashtra government moots new registration tax to aid disabled victims

State transport minister Diwakar Raote plans to introduce a one-time tax on newly registered vehicles to provide financial support to road accident victims who are left disabled.

State transport minister Diwakar Raote plans to introduce a one-time tax on newly registered vehicles to provide financial support to road accident victims who are left disabled.

With nearly 13,000 fatalities on road, Maharashtra ranks second in the country following Tamil Nadu (HT)

While addressing a road safety workshop jointly organised by the transport department and ministry of road transport and highways on Tuesday, Raote said he had directed transport department officials to check the feasibility of imposing such a tax.

With nearly 13,000 fatalities on road, Maharashtra ranks second in the country following Tamil Nadu. Annually, Maharashtra witnesses​ upwards of 65,000 accidents, in which nearly 40,000 people are injured. Raote said road accident victims get compensation from courts but for disabled​ people, who become dependent on their family or somebody else, it is not sufficient.

Raote said such disabled people should get Rs4,000-5,000 per month in rural areas, while for urban areas, the amount should be Rs7,000-8,000, depending upon their disabilities. “The amount would at least help the person to live life with dignity,”said Raote.

RTO officials and experts welcomed the idea, but they said instead of giving financial assistance to road accident victims, the government should take steps to ensure that there would be no accidents.

HT Road Safety series: 467 people died in road accidents in Mumbai last year