State sees drop in road mishaps, fatalities over past 7-8 years: Minister

Kolkata: State Transport minister Snehasis Chakraborty on Monday said that both road accidents and fatalities have declined over the past 7-8 years, attributing the improvement to the “Safe Drive, Save Life” initiative launched by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in July 2016.

“In 2015, West Bengal recorded 17,555 accidents and 6,656 fatalities. By 2023, these figures dropped to 13,795 accidents and 6,027 deaths,” Chakraborty told the state Assembly, responding to a query from BJP MLA Sankar Ghosh.

He added that Kolkata now ranks among the safest metros in terms of road safety. “While Delhi reported 5,652 accidents and 1,461 deaths, Kolkata saw 1,942 accidents and 191 fatalities,” he said. “We are continuously working to further reduce accidents,” he added.

Highlighting recent steps, Chakraborty said the state has implemented a new speed management policy, especially for areas with high pedestrian traffic.

The policy sets varying speed limits — from 25 km/hr to 50 km/hr — based on road conditions and traffic intensity. Special attention has been given to school zones, markets and areas with dense pedestrian movement.

He also said Bengal has established road safety committees down to the block level. “In terms of the number of road safety meetings conducted, we are among the top in the country,” the minister claimed.

The state government continues to focus on enhancing public awareness, enforcing traffic norms, and improving road infrastructure as part of its ongoing safety strategy.