India Reports 9,438 Pothole Deaths In Five Years. This State Tops The List

Last Updated:February 13, 2026, 14:43 IST

Madhya Pradesh recorded the second-highest number of pothole deaths at 969 during the five-year period.

Poor road conditions continue to cost lives across India, with official figures showing 9,438 people died in pothole-related accidents between 2020 and 2024.

Uttar Pradesh alone accounted for 5,127 of these deaths — more than half of the nationwide total. In contrast, several states and Union Territories, including Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Goa and Chandigarh, reported no accidents, injuries or deaths under this category, raising concerns about the accuracy of reporting.

The Union road transport ministry shared the data in a detailed reply in the Lok Sabha on Thursday. It showed that annual fatalities have steadily increased from 1,555 in 2020, a pandemic year with reduced travel, to 2,385 in 2024 — a rise of over 53 per cent.

After Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh recorded the second-highest number of pothole deaths at 969 during the five-year period. Tamil Nadu followed with 612 fatalities, while Odisha reported 425, Punjab 414 and Assam 395. Among Union Territories, Delhi registered the highest number with 50 deaths.

Road accident figures for 2025 have not yet been released.

Experts have questioned the reliability of the data. Some smaller northeastern states such as Manipur, Nagaland and Tripura reported pothole-related crashes, yet larger states with longer road networks showed none. Investigators say accurate identification of accident causes is necessary to design effective safety measures.

Transport ministry reports also indicate that pothole deaths had dropped after peaking at 3,597 in 2017, but the recent rise suggests the problem persists despite improvements in some years.

News india India Reports 9,438 Pothole Deaths In Five Years. This State Tops The List

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