- By Kanika Sachdeva
- Thu, 11 Sep 2025 01:25 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Nitin Gadkari on Road Safety: Every year, India records around 5 lakh road accidents and 1.8 lakh deaths, costing the country 3 per cent of its GDP, according to Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari. The minister made the remarks while speaking at an event on road safety, organised by Zomato and Uber a day ago. With a focus on reducing road fatalities to zero, the government is currently working toward halving the number of accidents and resultant deaths by 2030.
Nitin Gadkari: Human Behaviour Biggest Hurdle
However, Gadkari said that the biggest obstacles are 'human behaviour, lack of fear and respect for the law'. 'We have made many corrections in road and automobile engineering, and we also brought in a new Road Safety Act with stricter fines and penalties. But the results have not been as positive as expected because the core issue is human behaviour, lack of fear and respect for the law,' said Gadkari. Therefore, massive outreach through private companies, celebrities, and NGOs is required, the minister added.
Sadak Suraksha Abhiyan: What is it About?
To address this problem, Zomato and its delivery partner app (Uber), in collaboration with the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), have launched a nationwide road safety campaign named 'Sadak Suraksha Abhiyan'.
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Sadak Suraksha Abhiyan: Role of Zomato
Under the campaign, Zomato and Uber will integrate promotional material on road safety into their platforms. Zomato will share road safety messages, videos, and announcements through its delivery partner app as well as its consumer-facing food delivery platform.
To further help achieve the government's target of zero road fatalities, Zomato has made safety briefings mandatory for every delivery partner. Besides, the company also stipulates that every delivery partner take a safety pledge to wear helmets, respect laws, and prioritise safety.
On top of it, Zomato's 'Weather Union' platform offers real-time weather alerts and extreme condition forecasts, thereby helping partners make safer decisions. The platform also provides 24/7 emergency support, with ambulance assistance in under 15 minutes, according to Zomato.
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Sadak Suraksha Abhiyan: Role of Uber
On the other hand, Uber will invest in driver education and awareness-building exercises within its rider community to reinforce safe driving practices. With this initiative, Uber intends to reach out to 1.4 million (14 lakh) drivers through videos, in-person sessions, and in-app messages, according to Sooraj Nair, Head of Safety Operations, Uber India & South Asia.
'At our support centres across cities, which hundreds of drivers visit daily, we will set up safety activation zones to reinforce safer driving practices. Additionally, we’ll encourage all drivers to take pledges to follow traffic rules, adopt defensive driving, and put safety first.'