HYDERABAD: Telangana has recorded a 148 per cent surge in vehicle registrations between 2014 and 2025, with the total number of vehicles now standing at 1.77 crore, Transport Commissioner K Surendra Mohan said at a state-level review meeting on road safety on Wednesday. The meeting was chaired by Justice Abhay Manohar Sapre, former Supreme Court judge and Chairman of the Supreme Court Committee on Road Safety.
On average, nearly 9.3 lakh new vehicles are being added every year, the commissioner said. In 2024, the state reported 25,986 road accidents, which claimed 7,949 lives and left 23,658 injured. Nationally, Telangana ranks eighth in road accidents and tenth in fatalities. However, fatalities up to July 2025 were lower compared to the same period last year, he noted.
Chief Secretary K Ramakrishna Rao, DGP Jitendra, Principal Secretaries Ravi Gupta (Home) and Yogita Rana (Education), HMDA Commissioner Sarfaraz Ahmed, GHMC Commissioner RV Karnan, TGSRTC MD VC Sajjanar and other senior officials attended the meeting.
Justice Sapre reviewed accident trends, black spot rectification, and awareness programmes, stressing the need for monthly district-level safety meetings. He urged timely repair of potholes, strict enforcement of licences and insurance among government employees, and enhanced awareness among school children. The chief secretary reiterated the government’s vision of moving towards an “accident-free Telangana” through safer roads, stronger enforcement, and responsible driving.
The transport commissioner outlined several initiatives: development of Traffic Awareness Parks in all district headquarters by 2026, AI-driven road safety modules in schools, and the setting up of Road Safety Clubs in 57 institutions. A cashless treatment scheme offering up to Rs 1.5 lakh during the golden hour has also been introduced, funded jointly by insurance companies and the Centre.
Electronic enforcement has been strengthened with ANPR cameras and AI-based systems to track speeding, wrong-lane driving, mobile phone use while driving, and seatbelt violations. A dedicated Road Safety Fund, created through a cess on new vehicle registrations, will support awareness campaigns, driver training centres, enforcement equipment, and medical camps.
DGP Jitendra said black spot rectification on highways was underway, while HMDA Commissioner Sarfaraz Ahmed announced AI-enabled enforcement cameras along the Outer Ring Road within six months.
Justice Sapre appreciated Telangana’s progress but called for a time-bound plan to reduce fatalities. “With collective departmental action, the state can emerge as a role model in road safety,” he said.