Source: MoRTH

NEW DELHI: More than 23 persons die daily on Indian roads in accidents caused due to protruding rods and other such items, even four years after the government banned vehicles from carrying items that jut out from them. It shows how poor enforcement can defeat a change in law.According to official road accidents data published till 2016, the number of fatalities in such incidents have come down between 2014 and 2016. Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka, which had a large share of such fatalities, have brought down causalities. But it has increased significantly in Uttar Pradesh. Data shows while in 2014, 1,629 deaths were reported in UP, in 2016 the tally rose to 2,917."There is hardly any enforcement of rules. During a hearing in the Supreme Court, the transport ministry had said they were hopeful of the amendments to Motor Vehicles Act getting passed by the Parliament, which will pave way for better enforcement. But now with little hope of the bill getting passed, we are considering to re-approach the court and request it to pass directions," said Piyush Tiwari of SaveLife Foundation, which had taken up the case of protruding items to the SC.Tiwari said their plea before the Supreme Court is also to make the vehicle owner and the consigner responsible for such offence.