MUMBAI: Maharashtra has identified 11 accident-prone districts for intensive road safety measures under the Centre’s Zero Fatality District (ZFD) programme, signalling a renewed push to reduce road deaths through better enforcement, safer roads, and faster emergency care.The roadmap was presented by the state transport department during the visit of Justice Abhay Manohar Sapre (Retd), Chairman of the Supreme Court Committee on Road Safety, who chaired the Third Regional Manthan Workshop organised by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) in Mumbai this week.The districts selected for focused intervention are Pune, Nashik, Ahilyanagar, Nagpur, Thane, Solapur, Satara, Kolhapur, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Nanded and Amravati, which account for a significant share of Maharashtra’s road fatalities.Road safety officials said the strategy goes beyond traffic enforcement and seeks to address the entire chain of accident prevention and post-crash response. One of the key priorities is the identification and correction of hazardous stretches. Maharashtra has already mapped more than 600 accident black spots across its road network where crashes occur frequently.Authorities also highlighted efforts to strengthen emergency response during the crucial “golden hour” immediately after a crash. According to officials, prompt medical attention can reduce fatalities by as much as 60%.To encourage citizens to come forward and help accident victims, the state is promoting the Good Samaritan Scheme, under which people assisting road crash victims can receive a reward of Rs 25,000. Victims are also eligible for treatment assistance of up to Rs 1.5 lakh during the critical initial period after an accident.The state is simultaneously expanding trauma care facilities, deploying technology-driven enforcement systems such as Intelligent Traffic Management Systems (ITMS) and promoting the Sadak Suraksha Mitra initiative to create a network of trained first responders.Regional transport officer Anil Patil said the combined approach of safer roads, stricter enforcement, improved trauma care and public participation is expected to play a crucial role in Maharashtra’s efforts to move closer to the ambitious goal of zero road fatalities, a target that could save thousands of lives every year.
