Pothole deaths rise 53% in 5 yrs; UP accounts for over half of fatalities

Deaths caused by pothole-related road accidents have risen by 53 per cent over the past five years, with 9,438 people killed across the country between 2020 and 2024, the government informed Parliament. Uttar Pradesh alone accounted for more than 54 per cent of these fatalities, emerging as the worst-affected state.

The data shared by Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari in a written reply showed that while fatalities dipped slightly in 2021, they have climbed steadily since, reaching a peak of 2,385 deaths in 2024.

While the annual death toll saw a marginal dip from 1,555 in 2020 to 1,481 in 2021, it has surged every year since. Fatalities rose to 1,856 in 2022, 2,161 in 2023, and peaked at 2,385 in 2024.

Uttar Pradesh consistently recorded the highest casualties, with 5,127 deaths reported between 2020 and 2024. In 2024 alone, the state saw 1,369 pothole-related deaths more than half the national total, up from 1,320 in 2023 and 1,030 in 2022.

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