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From January 2023 to April 2025, Maharashtra recorded a staggering 36,567 fatalities and 83,820 road accidents. Yet, despite these alarming figures, the State Road Safety Council—headed by the transport minister—has not convened a single meeting in nearly two years.
The council's last meeting took place on April 4, 2023, under then-Chief Minister (who also held the transport portfolio), Eknath Shinde, who is now Deputy CM.
After the Maharashtra government constituted the council in May 2015—under Rule 215 of the Central Motor Vehicles Rules—biannual meetings, which are mandatory, were held regularly until 2019. Thereafter, only four meetings took place until 2023.
From 2015 onwards, there should have been 20 meetings of the State Road Safety Council as per the rules, but only 12 were held, a senior official said on condition of anonymity.
Officials explained that the council primarily reviews accident data, monitors the implementation of safety measures, and issues policy directives. It is a crucial platform for eradicating black spots, assessing enforcement gaps, and coordinating between various departments.
Its prolonged inaction reflects administrative apathy, said a retired RTO official.
According to a senior officer in the state transport department, meetings could not be held primarily due to the election code of conduct. Maharashtra witnessed Lok Sabha polls in May–June 2024, followed by assembly elections months later. However, the official added that several other high‑power committees had met to discuss road safety, and important decisions had been taken.
“The file for convening a meeting of the State Road Safety Council is in motion, and it will happen soon,” the official assured.
Activists and experts emphasize that statutory bodies like the State Road Safety Council must meet regularly. “To achieve the target of reducing deaths and injuries by 50 percent by 2030, we need a clear action plan with targets for each department and associated budgets,” one expert said.
“Rajasthan has recently implemented such a plan. Maharashtra should also revise the 2018 action plan and develop a programme that statutory committees like the State Road Safety Council can review periodically,” the expert added.
Maharashtra has over 4 crore registered vehicles and witnesses more than 35,000 accidents and 15,000 deaths annually, with grim figures continuing to rise—raising serious questions about the effectiveness of its road safety measures, experts said.
The transport department has remained with Shiv Sena since Shinde became CM in June 2022. He held the portfolio in his government, and Sarnaik became transport minister after the Devendra Fadnavis dispensation came to power in December last year.
RTO officials said it is the responsibility of the transport minister or transport commissioner to convene council meetings.
On May 13, 2015, the Maharashtra government constituted the State Road Safety Council, headed by the transport minister, along with district road safety committees. The Maharashtra transport commissioner is the member‑secretary of the 22‑member committee, which includes eight special invitees. Other members include the Public Works Department (PWD) Minister, Minister of State for Transport, Minister of State for PWD, and senior officials from the Home Department, Transport Department, BMC, MSRTC, and Highway Police. Special invitees include senior officials from the Public Health Department, Urban Development Department, MMRDA, and DGIPR, along with the Director of Doordarshan, the President of WIAA, and the President of the Maharashtra Truck Tempo Owners Association.
