Road safety body crippled as govt diverts due funds

Thiruvananthapuram: Accidents are common on Kerala roads, and shockingly the number of fatalities is high and rising. However, the state authority entrusted with the task of ensuring safety on the roads is virtually at a standstill as it is running short of money as the government takes away its funds for other activities.

The Kerala Road Safety Authority (KRSA) has been deprived of Rs 380 crore in the past 10 years.

Money due to the body is raised from road tax levies and the penalties paid by vehicle owners for various offences. Such funds added up to Rs 553.71 crore in 10 years, since the KRSA was set up in 2007. Out of this money, the government has passed on to KRSA only Rs 173.12 crore until 2015. And since then, the government has not handed over a single paisa to KRSA from the funds earmarked for it.

The KRSA is not in a position to finance its programmes though proposals are coming in from all districts for projects linked to road safety. Iinterceptor vehicles, which record overspeeding of vehicles from a distance of up to 1.5 kilometre, have been grounded as the KRSA does not have money to buy radars.

The Authority is not installing cameras, direction indicators, danger warnings etc on the main roads now, as it lacks enough money.

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