Patna: Bihar has emerged as a key state in India’s road safety initiative, with six of its districts—Patna, Muzaffarpur, Saran, Motihari, Gaya, and Nalanda—being identified among the 100 districts across the country selected for the Zero-Fatality program. This move aims to minimize road accidents and fatalities through targeted interventions.
The announcement was made by Bihar’s Transport and Rural Development Minister, Shravan Kumar, during his address at a meeting of all state and union territory transport ministers, chaired by the Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi.
Zero-Fatality Initiative and Targeted Measures
Minister Kumar emphasized that the Bihar government is working proactively to identify the causes of accidents in these districts and implement measures to reduce fatalities to zero. In 2025 alone, the state organized 484 meetings at local levels involving district administration, police, transport, and engineering departments to review accident-prone areas, potential risk factors, and local road conditions.
To further strengthen road safety, the state is conducting extensive awareness programs from January 1 to 31, including rallies, marches, marathons, driver training sessions, school and college programs, and repair of damaged crash barriers.
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Identifying Black Spots and Grey Spots
The Transport Minister highlighted that accident-prone areas, designated as Black Spots and Grey Spots, have been identified for remedial action. According to NHAI, 160 Black Spots were reported in 2022, 145 in 2023, and 114 in 2024. Meanwhile, the Public Works Department identified 96, 96, and 91 Black Spots over the same period. Corrective measures include improving sharp curves, installing signboards, widening roads, building underpasses/overpasses, and repairing damaged infrastructure.
Rapid Emergency Response and Ambulance Services
Bihar currently has over 1,500 government ambulances and 2,000 private ambulances registered, all integrated with the emergency number 102. Government ambulances reach urban areas within 20 minutes and rural areas within 30 minutes. The state is also working to connect private ambulances to the 102 network to ensure faster response times.
Hit-and-Run Cases and Compensation Programs
Minister Kumar reported that the state has recorded 45,103 accident cases in the e-DAR system, including 20,727 hit-and-run incidents. Out of these, 18,955 cases have been processed, while only 14% have Form-7 uploaded by the police. Under the PM-Rahat cashless treatment scheme, accident victims receive treatment costs of up to ₹1.5 lakh within seven days, funded by the central Motor Vehicle Accident Fund and coordinated by the Bihar Road Safety Council.
The Hit-and-Run Compensation Scheme provides ₹2 lakh to the dependents of deceased victims and ₹50,000 to injured persons. Bihar has sent 9,617 claims related to 16,319 deaths to the General Insurance Council in Mumbai, with 73% of compensation already disbursed. Additionally, good Samaritans who assist victims during the golden hour are now eligible for ₹25,000 as a cash reward.
Community-Based Road Safety Efforts
Minister Kumar reiterated that road safety is a collective responsibility requiring coordination between government authorities, transport departments, law enforcement, and citizens. The Zero-Fatality initiative reflects Bihar’s commitment to reducing road accidents, ensuring timely medical response, and promoting awareness among communities to safeguard lives on the road.
