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Pothole Deaths in India Rose 53% Over 2020–2024, With Uttar Pradesh Accounting for Over Half

A written reply to Parliament highlights stark state disparities that experts say reflect unreliable crash reporting.

Overview

  • Government figures tabled in the Lok Sabha report 9,438 pothole-related deaths over five years, rising from 1,555 in 2020 to 2,385 in 2024.
  • Uttar Pradesh recorded 5,127 fatalities across 2020–2024, far ahead of Madhya Pradesh (969) and Tamil Nadu (612), with Delhi logging 50 among Union Territories.
  • Police data also list 23,056 pothole-related crashes and 19,956 injuries nationwide in the period, including 9,670 classified as grievous.
  • Several states and UTs, including Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Goa and Chandigarh, reported zero incidents, a pattern investigators say suggests gaps in cause attribution.
  • MoRTH cites digital complaint channels, drone surveys, maintenance contracts and victim compensation or cashless treatment, and notes 2025 accident data are not yet published.