Over-speeding caused over 82,000 road accidents in India in 2025: Gadkari

Over-speeding caused 82,124 road accidents in India in 2025 as total crashes rose to over 5.13 lakh, Parliament was informed. Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari also highlighted rising electric vehicle adoption, highway maintenance efforts and infrastructure asset monetisation.

New Delhi: Over-speeding caused 82,124 road accidents in India in 2025, accounting for around 16 per cent of all road accidents, Parliament was informed on Thursday.

In a written reply to the Lok Sabha, Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari said driving on the wrong side and lane indiscipline caused 4,089 accidents, followed by jumping red lights (276) and the use of mobile phones while driving (136).

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The number of road accidents in India rose by 5.3 per cent to more than 5.13 lakh in 2025, with road crashes claiming the lives of 21 people every hour, according to government data.

On average, 59 road accidents occurred every hour in the country.

“A total of 5,13,563 road accidents have been reported by police departments of states and Union Territories in the country during the calendar year 2025, claiming 1,83,382 lives,” Gadkari said.

The minister also said that police departments in states and Union territories reported a total of 2,85,770 road accidents across the country during the first six months of 2026.

Among the states, Tamil Nadu reported the highest number of road accidents at 71,387, whereas Uttar Pradesh reported the highest number of accident fatalities at 27,550 in 2025.

Responding to a separate question, Gadkari said electric vehicles are increasing due to their lower operational costs and zero tailpipe emissions compared to Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) vehicles.

“VAHAN data indicates that EV penetration in India has grown from 0.71 per cent in financial year 2019-20 to 8.26 per cent in FY 2025-26,” he said, adding that as per data, the total number of EVs (as of July 26, 2026) is 1,00,23,396 for all categories of vehicles.

Responding to a separate question, Gadkari said assets worth Rs 1,72,898 crore have been monetised to date through Toll-Operate-Transfer (TOT), Infrastructure Investment Trust (InvIT) and project-based financing.

“A total of 317 projects under Hybrid Annuity Model (HAM) and Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) mode, with a length of 11,711.81 km and total capital cost of Rs 4,57,547.46 crore, have been awarded during the Financial Year (FY) 2021-22 to FY 2025-26,” he added.

Replying to another question, Gadkari said development and maintenance of National Highways (NHs) is a continuous process.

“Poor/damaged condition of NHs has been reported for about 11,500 km length during the last three years and current year, which have been attended for immediate maintenance,” the minister said.

Gadkari said out of the total 1.46 Lakh km length of NH network in the country, about 36,000 km length is under development, 58,000 km length under DLP / Concession Period, and 41,000 km length under maintenance primarily through Short Term Maintenance Contract (STMC) and Performance Based Maintenance Contract (PBMC) works, and also including 4,000 km length maintained departmentally through BRO.

“Government has decided to take up maintenance in 20,000 km during 2026-27 as part of the plan for full transition towards the target of 100 per cent NH network coverage under maintenance,” he said.

The minister also said 21 concessionaires/contractors have been blacklisted/penalised during the last two years for poor quality work execution or other tender violations.