By Special Correspondent
Bhopal: Madhya Pradesh Congress Committee spokesperson Dr Vikram Chaudhary has expressed grave concern over the latest national data on road accidents released by the Union Ministry, highlighting what he termed a “frightening public safety crisis”. According to the report, a staggering 168,000 people lost their lives in road accidents across India in 2023, of which 84 per cent were young adults aged between 18 and 45. Dr Chaudhary said these figures clearly show that the country’s future — its youth — has become a victim of the BJP government’s negligence, corruption, and substandard construction practices.
He alleged that due to collusion between contractors and officials under the BJP’s protection, the quality of road construction in the state has deteriorated severely. The widespread use of poor-quality materials, he said, has resulted in broken roads, perilous 90-degree bends, blind turns without proper signage, faulty gradients and chaotic engineering — daily hazards that are destroying hundreds of families. The record number of youth deaths, he added, proves that corruption in road construction has now become a social crime amounting to “institutional manslaughter”.
Dr Chaudhary demanded strict enforcement of the highest quality standards in road construction and full transparency in all processes. He called for public prosecution of corrupt contractors and officials, independent audit teams in every district, adoption of international engineering norms, expert reviews of accident sites, and time-bound corrective measures. He also urged active public participation in road safety and greater awareness of traffic rules.
Appealing particularly to the youth, he urged citizens to raise their voices against what he described as the BJP government’s negligence and corruption. The Congress, he said, will launch a public movement to ensure road safety, transparency and the protection of the state’s future.
