Madhya Pradesh Extends ‘Zero Fatality’ Road Safety Plan to Nine Districts, Adding Bhopal, Indore and Ujjain

Bhopal: Madhya Pradesh will now implement on a priority basis the road safety action plan prepared for all 55 of its districts, with the aim of reducing deaths in road accidents. Under the plan, the "zero fatality" districts selected by a Supreme Court committee have been given the target of bringing road accident deaths down to zero. High accident density corridors and accident-prone areas have been identified, and corrective measures will be taken there. The plan includes permanently repairing accident-prone locations, known as black spots, and improving dangerous stretches of road.

The plan also stresses signage, road markings and adequate lighting, promoting the use of helmets and seat belts, removing illegal parking and encroachments, and clearing stray cattle from roads. Providing injured people with an ambulance and medical help immediately after an accident is also part of the plan. Separately, the state road corporation has taken a firm stance on roads damaged by the rains and has directed departments to complete repairs by 30 September. The Public Works Department (PWD) has set a deadline of October for repairs.

Key strategies in the action plan

1. Accident density corridors and black spots: Black spots and accident density corridors have been identified. Technical and engineering shortcomings in these areas will be corrected.
2. Engineering: Directions have been issued to fill potholes (deadline: 30 September), install rumble strips and road studs, and improve junctions.
3. Enforcement: Helmet and seat belt rules will be strictly enforced, and firm action will be taken against illegal parking, encroachments and stray cattle on roads.
4. Emergency care: In the event of an accident, quick medical assistance and cashless treatment are to be ensured within the "golden hour", the first hour after the accident.
5. Sadak Suraksha Mitra (road safety friends): Volunteers trained by IIT Madras will be deployed as "Sadak Suraksha Mitra" to provide immediate help and raise public awareness.

Safe school zones and model junctions in every district

A dashboard named "Margdarshak" has been developed to monitor road safety work. Districts have also been directed to send headquarters proposals to develop "safe school zones" and "model junctions" in line with Indian Roads Congress standards.

The nine 'zero fatality' districts

In the first phase, the government selected six districts in the state under the programme. Three more major cities have now been added. The six districts selected earlier were Dhar, Sagar, Satna, Rewa, Jabalpur and Khargone. The three new additions are Bhopal, Indore and Ujjain. The districts were chosen after a detailed analysis of road accident and fatality data for the past five years. The new action plan will be used in these districts to work towards zero fatalities. As a further measure, a pilot project called "No Insurance, No Fuel", meant to make vehicle insurance mandatory, may also be launched in the state.

Potholes are a major cause of accidents

According to the available data, potholes are also a major cause of accidents and deaths in the state. In 2021, 220 people died in 711 pothole-related accidents. In 2022, 199 people died in 759 accidents, and in 2023, 177 people lost their lives in 1,205 pothole-related accidents. Pothole-related accidents continued in 2024 and 2025 as well. The report says that timely repair of potholes and other dangerous stretches under the zero fatality plan will be a key challenge, and that the indifference of departments towards filling potholes is proving costly for the public.