Global Perspectives Activity

DISTRICT/CITY ISSUE:
Potholes:
India has a major pothole problem varying from city to city. This is not
only deadly but a major source of frustration and inconvenience for
commuters. Potholes cause a significant number of accidents on Indian
roads. In 2018, potholes were responsible for 10,727 accidents across the
country, resulting in 3,597 deaths and 10,876 injuries, according to data
from the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways. The problem of
potholes is widespread across India. In a survey conducted by the
SaveLIFE Foundation, 6 out of 10 respondents reported encountering
potholes on a daily basis while driving.

Causes of Potholes:
- Poor construction:Poorly built roads accompanying inferior
fabrics and incompetent seepage orders are individual of the basic
causes of potholes in India. According to a study for one Indian
Road Congress, about 55% of India's parking lot network is in weak
or commonplace condition.
Source- Forbes India

- Heavy rainfall:India experiences sudden rainfall all along the

rainstorm season that can cause soil deterioration and damage to
drive surfaces, superior to the composition of potholes. In 2019,
Mumbai wrote allure of the most burdensome storm precipitation
in a ten of something, chief to a pierce in the number of potholes.
Source: BBC News

- Overloading of vehicles: Overloading of trucks and different

vehicles can cause damage to the highway surface that can bring
about the composition of potholes. Overloaded trucks are a
prevailing guide on Indian roads, and are the reason for an
important fraction of accidents.
Source: United Nations

- Lack of maintenance: Many roads in India are not correctly

maintained, that can cause limited cracks and fissures to cultivate
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in the avenue surface. These can quickly become larger potholes if
abandoned untreated. According to a report by the Comptroller
and Auditor General of India, about 41% of the National Highways
in India are in poor condition.
Source: Economic Times

- Loss of control of the vehicle: When a vehicle hits a pothole,

the driver may lose control of the vehicle, which can provoke
accidents. In 2019, a bus bearing 45 passengers overturned on a
rough expressway in Maharashtra, killing 17 people and injuring 25
others.
Source: NDTV

- Two-wheeler accidents: Two-wheeler riders are specifically

vulnerable to accidents caused by potholes, as striking a pothole
can cause the rider to lose balance and fall. According to a study by
the National Crime Records Bureau, bike riders give reason for
about 33% of all road disaster fatalities in India.
Source: Indian Express

Effects of Potholes:
- Loss of life and injury:Accidents provoked by potholes can
influence death and serious damages. According to the National
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Crime Records Bureau, about 1,50,000 people were killed in road
accidents in India in 2019, accompanying an important proportion
of these accidents provoked by potholes and additional road
hazards.
Source: Indian Express

- Economic costs: Road accidents provoked by potholes and

different road hazards influence meaningful economic costs,
including medical expenses, lost productivity, and damage to
vehicles and added property. According to a report by the World
Bank, road accidents in India influence economic losses of about
3% of the country's GDP yearly.
Source: World Bank

- Traffic congestion: Potholes and additional road hazards can

cause traffic congestion, as vehicles are involuntary to slow down
or take evasive action to prevent them. This can create delays and
raised travel time, in addition to expanded air pollution due to
vehicle emissions.
Source: Forbes India

- Negative impact on tourism: Poor road environments,

containing potholes, can have a negative influence on tourism in
India, as visitors can be checked by the prospect of long travel
periods, rough journeys, and security concerns.
Source: Economic Times

- Psychological impact: Road accidents provoked by potholes can

have a meaningful psychological impact on victims and their
households, leading to stress, tension, and trauma. In addition, the
fear of accidents can lead to decreased mobility and decreased
value of life.
Source: United Nations
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Solutions to Potholes:
- Offering jobs to the unemployed: Unemployment is an issue
everywhere, especially in India. We can find a bunch of
unemployed people across the street. The government can pick
these people up for jobs to fix and maintain the roads. In some
parts of India, people aren't vouching or going for jobs like
maintaining the roads, so it would be quite easier to just put the
unemployed over there. This would fix both the unemployment
rate and the roads.

- Applying innovative technology: Building a road is a rather

easier part, but maintaining it is much harder. To make it easier,
the government could make use of technology for the roads. The
government could use some cameras nearing the roads for its
surveillance. The person behind the cameras could easily spot a
pothole and alert the authorised person. The government could
also make use of sensors. Sensors can be applied on roads which
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would sense(hence the name) the potholes and alert the
authorised person.

- Using Suitable Material For the Roads: Using cheap material

can be economical, but at what cost? The road gets destroyed very
rapidly with cheap material. Instead, the government could spend
some more money on finding the right and better material for
roads. What is a right material? A material which would be
fantastic in India's rough conditions, a material which would be
sustainable, a material which is made by a trusted company, a
material which can be trusted.

- Increase funds for road maintenance: One of the main

factors contributing to India's high rate of potholes is a lack of
adequate funding. According to the Economic and Social
Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP)
recommendations, the Indian government should give priority to
raising the funding allocated for this purpose.

- Implement routine road inspections: Routine road

inspections may assist in locating and repairing potholes before
they cause severe issues. The Indian government has to take into
account establishing a system of routine inspections to guarantee
that potholes are promptly repaired.

- Improve road construction methods: According to a report

by the Indian Roads Congress, India's roads frequently suffer from
poor construction, which causes early wear and tear. Potholes can
be avoided by enhancing construction methods and making sure
that the materials used are of high quality.
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References:
- https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/bengaluru-potholes-bbmp
-twitter-social-media-instagram-photoshoot-1618220-2019-11-12
- https://www.unescap.org/sites/default/files/Session%204A%20P
aper%201%20-%20Dr.%20Bindra.pdf
- http://www.indianroadscongress.org/IRC-SP-50-2010.pdf
- https://savelifefoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Tru
th-about-India%E2%80%99s-Roads-Full-Report.pdf
- https://mumbaimirror.indiatimes.com/mumbai/cover-story/mum
bai-still-a-city-of-potholes/articleshow/71029070.cms
- https://www.statista.com/statistics/1210963/india-road-accidents
-due-to-potholes/