In the Budget, government must make provisions for passenger and road safety
Despite a visible increase in government spending and policy announcements, the death toll in road accidents continues to haunt policymakers, enforcement agencies and commuters. The Goa Road Safety Policy 2025 set an ambitious target: a 50% reduction in road fatalities by 2030 and a 20% reduction in the very first year. Government data showed that last year there were 257 fatal accidents, claiming 269 lives. It showed only a 5% decrease in fatal accidents compared to 2024.
The policy focuses on road engineering improvements, automated vehicle fitness testing stations and stronger driver licensing standards. The Transport Directorate has floated a Request for Proposal (RFP) to engage a professional social media agency to carry road safety messaging to digital platforms, with a special focus on youth and schoolchildren. The directorate is ready to take its road safety messaging, traffic advisories and civic outreach campaigns from the notice board to the newsfeed. The intent appears sound and will be a welcome move, provided it works in a professional manner.
While working on this, the authorities could simultaneously deploy AI-enabled speed cameras and red-light violation detection systems in high-fatality zones. Besides, drunken driving and overspeeding could be dealt with through stricter laws.
For a change, the Transport Directorate has taken another initiative towards the safety of passengers. Calling for immediate compliance with AIS-119 bus body safety standards, it has directed compliance with emergency exits and fire detection and suppression systems in all sleeper coaches. It has put commercial bus operators on notice, stating that non-compliant vehicles must be withdrawn from service without delay. A related issue is ageing buses. Many have been in service for over 15 years, making them prone to brake failures and mechanical breakdowns even after routine servicing. In compliance with scrapping norms, KTC has already retired 52 buses that crossed the 15-year mark, with another 48 buses due for scrapping. This has created a significant shortfall in available buses, worsening overcrowding on key routes and increasing waiting times for daily commuters, particularly in rural areas.
To address the fleet crisis, KTC contracted a company for 150 electric buses. As of late 2025, 87 of these had been delivered, with the remaining 63 expected by December 2025, which did not happen. A fresh tender for 50 additional e-buses has also been floated, signalling the corporation’s intent to modernise the fleet. However, the transition to electric buses, while environmentally welcome, has been slower than needed, with commuters facing the brunt of the shortfall. The government needs to look at the fleet of private buses. Commuters deserve better service.
Passenger and road safety issues need better attention from the government. Now that the Transport Directorate has taken a few steps, the government must provide the necessary funds for passenger safety. There can be a Road Safety Authority with independent powers to bring order and reduce the accident rate. Involving youth and students could be a game changer. Road safety education should be integrated into the school curriculum. Departmental responsibility must be fixed — engineering failures to PWD, enforcement gaps to traffic police, vehicle fitness to the Transport Directorate — with measurable targets.
The government can create a Road Safety Accountability Dashboard, updated monthly with accident data, black spots, enforcement statistics and policy progress. Otherwise, the piecemeal method will not work. A dedicated road safety fund could be created in the Budget. The government must make the necessary provisions in the forthcoming Goa Budget towards passenger and road safety.
