NEW DELHI: The Road Transport and Highways Ministry has asked the state governments to form high-level committees to take steps for reducing road accident fatalities that have increased consistently in recent years.”All the state governments are requested to constitute High Level Committees headed by the Chief Secretary to take stock of the road safety scenario in their States and the measures required to be instituted at the State level to reduce road accident fatalities,” the Ministry said in a missive to states.

A total of 4,90,383 road accidents were reported by all states/Union Territories (UTs) in 2012, of which 1,23,093 were fatal accidents.

“The number of persons killed in road accidents were 1,38,258 i.e. an average of one fatality per 3.5 accidents. The proportion of fatal accidents in total road accidents has consistently increased … we have to go a long way before we can rest,” the Centre has said.

Citing China’s example for curbing accidents, it has asked states to ensure that its various wings, including Transport, Health, PWD, Police, Justice, Education and Finance worked in close coordination in view of “strategy for ensuring road safety being multi-pronged.”

Unless special arrangements are put in place to ensure close coordination and accountability, realising the full potential of individual sectoral responsibilities and the goal of road safety is not possible, it said.

It also asked the states to tighten noose round the necks of liquor shops violating norms.

The states have also been requested to ensure that licences for liquor shops are not given along National Highways and in case of drunken driving to strictly enforce Section 185 of Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 which provides for punishment of imprisonment or fine or both for the offence of drunken driving.

It also asked states to set up highways patrol on the pattern of Maharashtra stressing such dedicated police force can bring down accidents and ensure safety.

Maharashtra has a designated police force for highways. A Traffic Engineering Unit under it analyses the causes of accidents and suggests preventive measures, it said while asking states to emulate this model.

Although National Highways constitute only about two per cent of the total road length they account for 29.1 per cent in total road accidents and 35.3 per cent in total number of persons killed in road accidents.

The Ministry said in view of manifold increase in road traffic during last few years “It is very much necessary to regulate the traffic movement.”

India has 33 lakh km of road network, of which about 79,000 km is the National Highways.