New Delhi, Dec 14 (IANS): Authorities might be claiming smooth roads in the country, but government data said that the number of accidents due to potholes on roads has increased over the past two years.

A total of 3,564 road accidents took place across the country during 2020 and increased to 3,625 during 2021, the Parliament was told on Wednesday.

A close look at the state-wise data said that Uttar Pradesh topped the list of states with 1,254 such accidents in 2021. Madhya Pradesh and Tamil Nadu recorded 711 and 459 accidents due to potholes in the same year, Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari told the Rajya Sabha in a written reply.

According to the reply, the total number of accidents caused due to potholes during the calendar years 2020 and 2021 all over the country includes all type of roads including national highways (NH).

The Ministry of Road Transport & Highways is primarily responsible for construction and maintenance of NHs. In order to make the NH stretches pothole free, regular maintenance activities are carried out by executing agencies of the ministry such as the NHAI, the PWD, the BRO, the NHIDCL, etc. through concessionaires/contractors/O&M Agencies etc.

Concerned project officials inspect the project highways under their respective jurisdictions and take suitable short term and long term preventive/remedial measures as per the site requirements within available resources. Surface drainage aspects are also taken care of in the design of National Highways by provision of appropriate camber/cross fall of the pavement and longitudinal drains in accordance with Indian Roads Congress standards and guidelines, he said in the reply.