Telangana’s vehicle population up 148% since 2014; 9.3 lakh new vehicles added annually

Hyderabad: Telangana has witnessed a sharp 148 per cent surge in vehicular population between 2014 and 2025, with the number of registered vehicles touching 1.77 crore and nearly 9.3 lakh new vehicles added annually.

More vehicles lead to more accidents

This rapid growth has coincided with a high accident burden, as many as 25,986 accidents were reported in 2024 alone, causing as many as 7,949 deaths and leaving over 23,000 injured. Nationally, the State ranks 8th in road accidents and 10th in fatalities.

However, officials reported an encouraging dip in fatalities up to July 2025, compared to the previous year, signalling that ongoing interventions may be beginning to show results.

Supreme Court committee reviews progress

Justice Abhay Manohar Sapre, Former Supreme Court Judge and Chairman of the Supreme Court Committee on Road Safety, chaired a State-level review meeting in Hyderabad on Wednesday.

The review focused on accident data, enforcement measures, awareness programmes and time-bound strategies to improve road safety.

Government’s vision

Chief Secretary K Ramakrishna Rao reiterated that the government’s vision is to move steadily towards an “accident-free Telangana”, focusing on safer roads, stricter enforcement and nurturing a culture of responsible driving.

Road safety, he said, has been declared a top priority with a multi-departmental approach under the leadership of the Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy and Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar.

Key initiatives

Children’s Traffic Awareness Parks: First park opened in January 2025; one planned in each district by 2026.

Road Safety Curriculum: AI-enabled learning modules under development; schools encouraged to form Road Safety Clubs.

Road Safety Clubs: 57 already active across schools, colleges, and universities.

Awareness Drives: Pamphlets with road safety messages distributed to new vehicle owners and license holders.

Cashless Treatment Scheme-2025: Accident victims to receive up to Rs 1.5 lakh coverage during the golden hour.

Electronic Enforcement: ANPR cameras and AI-powered systems deployed to catch overspeeding, wrong-lane driving, and mobile phone use.

Road Safety Fund: A new cess on vehicles to finance awareness, enforcement, medical camps, and training.

Enforcement and engineering measures

DGP Dr Jitender said that black spots on highways are being mapped and shared with NHAI for rectification, with an action plan and fixed timelines. He highlighted the adoption of GIS-based platforms and intelligent traffic management systems.

HMDA announced that AI-driven enforcement cameras will be installed along the Outer Ring Road within six months to monitor violations such as driving without seat belts, overspeeding, and lane indiscipline.

Justice Sapre welcomed Telangana’s initiatives but stressed the need for faster, measurable outcomes.

He directed officials to:

- Hold monthly district-level Road Safety Committee meetings.

- Ensure potholes and black spots are rectified quickly.

- Verify that all 3 lakh government employees hold valid licenses and insurance.

- Send automated alerts to vehicle owners on license and insurance expiry.

He called on all departments to work in unison and make Telangana a role model in road safety for other States.