SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir government on Monday said road accidents in the Union Territory have shown a declining trend over the past three years, even as over Rs 11.53 crore has been disbursed as compensation to victims under the Road Accident Victim Fund (RAVF).
Responding to an unstarred Assembly question, the Transport Department stated that the number of road accidents has reduced from 5,726 in 2023 to 5,287 in 2025, attributing the decline to intensified enforcement and a range of road safety interventions.
The government said large-scale awareness campaigns and enforcement drives have been carried out, with over 10,000 road safety awareness programmes conducted annually. Health and eye check-ups of drivers, along with emergency response training, have also been undertaken to improve preparedness.
Strict enforcement measures have led to a sharp increase in action against violators, with over 52,500 challans issued in 2025 compared to around 40,000 in 2024. Authorities also reported cancellation of registrations, suspension of driving licences and seizure of vehicles in cases of serious violations.
The department said enforcement agencies have transitioned to a 100 percent e-challaning system, supported by modern surveillance and enforcement equipment including interceptor vehicles, highway patrol units, breath analysers and body-worn cameras.
Significant focus has also been placed on school transport safety, with thousands of school buses audited for compliance and defects identified and rectified. The functioning of speed limiting devices in transport vehicles is being ensured during fitness checks.
On compensation, the government said Rs 1,153.10 lakh has been released to districts under the Road Accident Victim Fund, out of a total allocation of Rs 1,226.10 lakh. Jammu district received the highest allocation of Rs 204 lakh, followed by Doda with Rs 135 lakh and Kishtwar with Rs 134 lakh. Compensation is provided at Rs 1 lakh in case of death, Rs 75,000 for permanent disability, Rs 50,000 for grievous injuries and Rs 10,000 for minor injuries.
The government said Intelligent Traffic Management Systems (ITMS) have already been installed in Jammu and Srinagar under the Smart City Mission, while a Rs 113 crore proposal is being prepared to expand electronic traffic enforcement across the rest of the Union Territory.
Authorities said road safety audits have now been made mandatory in the design phase of all new road projects, while existing roads are also being periodically reviewed to address engineering defects.
The government maintained that a combination of stricter enforcement, technology integration and policy measures—including the revised Road Safety Policy 2025—is contributing to improved road safety outcomes, while efforts are ongoing to further reduce accidents and fatalities across Jammu and Kashmir.
