Aam Aadmi Party MP Sanjay Singh submitted a Zero Hour notice in the Rajya Sabha seeking a discussion on the need for stringent national road safety laws and greater accountability for unsafe roads across India. He highlighted the rising number of accidents linked to potholes and poor maintenance, stressing that citizens are suffering due to infrastructure negligence.

In his notice, Singh referred to official data from the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways’ Road Accidents in India – 2023 report, which recorded around 4.8 lakh road accidents in 2023, resulting in nearly 1.72 lakh deaths — averaging one fatality every three minutes. The data showed a 4.2 percent rise in accidents and a 2.6 percent increase in fatalities compared to the previous year.

He expressed particular concern over pothole-related deaths, noting that 2,161 people lost their lives in 2023 due to potholes — about 16.4 percent higher than the previous year — with Uttar Pradesh accounting for more than half of these deaths. Singh also pointed out that many such incidents go unreported, leaving affected families without justice or compensation.

Citing the death of a three-year-old child in a pothole accident near Delhi, he emphasized the urgent need for accountability. Through his notice, Singh called for a clear framework to hold contractors, project managers, and government officials criminally responsible for deaths or serious injuries caused by unsafe roads. He also demanded strong national laws to ensure swift justice for victims and said the accountability framework should apply to all types of roads nationwide. Singh sought the Chair’s permission to raise the issue during Zero Hour, stating that it concerns public safety and citizens’ right to travel safely. Meanwhile, various ministries are set to table papers in the Lok Sabha during the ongoing Budget Session.