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FEATURE STORYJuly 11, 2024

Madhya Pradesh’s Journey Towards Making Roads Safer

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Manawar to Tawlai Bujurg (SH - 38)

World Bank

Highlights

  • The World Bank-supported Community Participatory Road Safety Program launched a pilot initiative in Dhar, Indore, and Datia districts of Madhya Pradesh. This initiative involved local communities extensively in implementing road safety interventions, including infrastructure improvements and awareness campaigns.
  • Over 6.5 million people in the pilot districts now benefit from safer road conditions. Significant improvements have led to a nearly 70% decrease in overall accidents and nearly 80% fewer pedestrian-related accidents in the test areas.
  • A comprehensive road safety awareness campaign led by Campaign Agents from NGOs and community-based organizations established nearly 100 Road Safety Working Groups across Madhya Pradesh, involving 600 members who address road safety issues comprehensively.

Young girls at the Senior Secondary School in Madhya Pradesh’s Raruarai village in Dhar district were hesitant to go to school. Harassed daily by bystanders outside school, girls found the journey to school a daunting experience, impacting their education. Sixteen-year-old student Manisha Chauhan recalls, “I live in the girls' hostel next door, and didn’t feel safe even walking the 50 meters from the hostel to the school. There were vendors everywhere, buses stopped haphazardly, and always a crowd of men who made us all walking together feel uncomfortable.”

Then, over the last six months, the landscape of the area outside this school completely changed. The road outside became wider, pedestrian walkways were constructed, zebra crossings and speed control strips were built, and most importantly a CCTV camera was installed. A bus shelter outside the school gate helped to regulate traffic better, dissipating bystanders, and providing respite from the extreme weather for the students.

I feel safe now coming to school. Traffic has slowed and the CCTV camera acts as a deterrent for anyone up to any mischief.
Manisha Chauhan
Sixteen-year-old student

Jostling for Space

Madhya Pradesh, at the centre of India, is the third-most accident-prone state in the country. Close to 12,000 people died in road accidents in 2019.

Industrial, commercial, and residential traffic, all jostle for space on narrow roads during peak hours, leaving two-wheeler riders and pedestrians especially vulnerable.

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World Bank

World Bank Support for Road Safety

To address these pressing issues, the World Bank-supported Community Participatory Road Safety Program launched a pilot initiative in Dhar, Indore and Datia in Madhya Pradesh where road safety interventions are implemented with substantial involvement from local communities.

As a result, over 6.5 million people living in the districts now benefit from safer road conditions.

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Rajeshwari from Piparua village in Datia district says she now finds it safer to walk down to her aunt’s house along the main road with her four-month-old baby. “Earlier, vehicles along this road used to speed. It was dangerous for those of us walking. Now with speed display signs, buses and motorbikes are forced to watch how they are driving.”

Traffic conditions have improved at 16 black spots, and 20 km of safe corridors have been created in the pilot districts. Between October 2023 and March 2024, road accidents in the test areas decreased by nearly 70 percent, while pedestrian-related accidents were down by almost 80 percent.

The impact extends beyond the statistics. It is not surprising now to encounter school children like Manisha and women like Rajeshwari who know that rumble strips force speeding vehicles to slow down, or that bike users must wear helmets to protect themselves.

Through community involvement, targeted campaigns, and strategic interventions, the program is steering Madhya Pradesh towards safer roads.

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World Bank

So how was this transformation achieved?

Engineering

Road safety features have been incorporated into road construction, including widening of roads, creating pedestrian walkways, introducing speed control measures, road signs and traffic signals.  High-traffic and accident-prone ‘blackspots’ were identified and rectified, safe corridors were built and model urban streets demonstrated in the three pilot districts through the program. Civil works in these areas included building seamless pedestrian access, safe crossing points, enhanced markings and signage, junction improvements to refine traffic movements, and tree plantations. Innovative measures like roller crash barriers and solar-powered speed display boards were implemented.

The program focuses on strengthening the state’s capability to sustain these efforts. Over 300 staff from the Madhya Pradesh Rural Roads Development Authority were trained in road safety and design, ensuring the continuity of these initiatives.

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World Bank

Enforcement

Training and enforcement of road safety measures were key to the success of the program. To enhance compliance with traffic regulations, the program introduced various enforcement mechanisms like e-challans, CCTV cameras and provided specialized equipment such as breath analyzers and laser speed guns.

Moreover, the program focused on equipping police and transport officials with essential road safety skills through comprehensive training sessions. So far, 175 enforcement officials have been trained under the program, including 25 Master Trainers.

Manoj Khatri, Assistant Commissioner of Police from Bhopal, who was part of Training of Trainers for Enforcement Personnel, said, “For the first time, a holistic approach was taken to road safety, including crash investigation, traffic management, road markings, and traffic signs.”

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World Bank

Emergency Response and Post-Crash Care

The program’s emergency response aspect addresses gaps in post-crash care. Earlier, for example, crash victims in cities within the Dhar district could not be reached urgently due to its large geographical area. The program has financed five advanced emergency wings in community and primary healthcare centers in Dhar meant specifically for crash victims. Similar upgrades were implemented in Datia and Indore districts, ensuring timely and effective emergency medical care for accident victims.

Around 200 community road safety volunteers were trained under the program in basic life support including first aid and CPR, and basic trauma care. Hospitals have been equipped with specific post-crash equipment and more than 1000 hospital staff, including doctors, nurses, health workers and ambulance drivers have been trained to provide emergency care.

Prakash Vishwakarma, 25, who owns a convenience store at Tonkiphata junction, was trained in first aid and CPR as a road safety volunteer. Prakash often witnessed accidents near his shop and helped those injured. “This junction used to see heavy vehicles from a cement factory close by,” he says. “Many things have changed for better just in the last two years under the project, but people need to be further educated on what safety precautions to take while using roads.”

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Awareness campaigns such as establishing road safety clubs, and familiarizing children with road safety rules and signs in rural Madhya Pradesh are teaching the youth about road safety.

World Bank

Community-Led Road Safety Awareness

A comprehensive road safety campaign awareness program was carried out led by Campaign Agents from non-government and community-based organizations. Nearly 100 Road Safety Working Groups have been formed across Madhya Pradesh, comprising 600 members, addressing road safety comprehensively.

The awareness campaigns addressed issues like overspeeding, helmet usage, awareness of traffic rules, seat belt usage, responsible mobile phone use while driving, avoiding drunk driving, and understanding the Good Samaritan law, etc. Village communities are addressed using innovative ways such as street plays and workshops for school children.

Rahul, a campaign agent, reflected on the transformation within the community, "From a state of negligence and ignorance about correct road usage practices, we have been able to achieve a state where people know their safety is their own responsibility through the program’s Meri Suraksha Meri Zimmedari campaign (My safety is my responsibility)."

Prerana Arora, who heads the NGO that planned the awareness campaign, recalls how villagers initially had very little awareness or understanding of road safety. After the trainings and awareness campaigns, she remembers an inspiring incident where a Campaign Agent bought a helmet for his milkman so that he could deliver milk on his motorbike safely. “The endeavour for safety started from his own home,” Prerana said, “which was very heartening to observe.”

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