New Delhi: Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari sidestepped a question by Alappuzha MP KC Venugopal about the tragic accident that claimed five lives in the Lok Sabha on Thursday, instead responding with updates on the construction of the Ernakulam bypass. When Venugopal objected to the answer's irrelevance, Gadkari diverted the discussion, claiming that despite numerous laws, people fail to follow them.

“Five medical students lost their lives in the Karuvatta accident, and three others were critically injured. Despite passing laws like the Road Safety Act and Good Samaritan Law, and improving highway design, none of these measures are effectively implemented. Even the road design contributed to this tragedy. What is the Minister's response to this failure?” he asked Gadkari.

However, Gadkari’s reply was unexpected. “The construction of the Ernakulam bypass will begin soon under the BOT (Build-Operate-Transfer) model,” he said, prompting protests from opposition MPs, including Venugopal.

Gadkari then shifted the topic further, stating, “We are identifying black spots on national highways. Rs 40,000 crore is being allocated to eliminate these black spots. However, the fundamental issue is that people do not follow or respect traffic laws, even when fines are increased. Road safety involves both central and state responsibilities.”

Despite Gadkari's response, Venugopal expressed dissatisfaction, stating that the question remained unanswered. The Speaker, however, moved on to the next question without allowing follow-ups, leaving the issue unresolved.