New Delhi: Cyrus Mistry, a former head of Tata Sons, was killed on Sunday in a car crash in the Palghar district of Maharashtra after his vehicle collided with a divider. While the initial investigation found that Mistry was not wearing a seat belt and the car was moving quickly, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari blamed some accidents on inaccurate project reports and emphasised the need for proper training for businesses producing comprehensive project reports for building highways and other roads. “Wahan se karo shuruwat. Beginning should be made from DPR if woh sudhrenege nahi, toh poora tumhara satyanash ho jayega. The issue will recur if the companies creating DPRs do not improve,” he said.
In India, over 1.55 lakh lives were lost in road crashes in 2021, the highest number of fatalities ever recorded in a calendar year (an average of 426 per day or 18 per hour), according to data from the National Crime Records Bureau. The government is promoting the use of new technologies, according to the minister of highways and road transportation.
“Some DPRs (Detailed Project Reports) prepared by companies are worst and are responsible for road accidents in the country,” Gadkari, who is known for his frank views said at an event. He underlined the need for organising training programme for companies preparing DPRs.
Even a brand-new Mercedes can cause issues, according to the minister, if driven by a novice. Gadkari emphasised the need to pinpoint the causes of road project delays because they pose a significant risk to rising construction costs.
