Pothole deaths frightening: SC

The Supreme Court on Friday termed as "frightening" the deaths in accident caused due to potholes on roads across the country and said that number of fatalities in such incidents was more than those in terror attacks. While hearing a matter related to road safety in India, a bench comprising Justices Madan B Lokur and Deepak Gupta also said that persons who have lost their lives as a result of accidents caused due to potholes should be entitled to compensation.

The bench said it was a matter of "common knowledge" that a large number of people have died in accidents caused due to potholes on roads and authorities, who were supposed to maintain the roads, were not doing their duties properly.

Referring to media reports, the bench said, "So many people are dying in the country due to accident caused by potholes on roads. Reports say that more people have died due to accident caused by potholes than the deaths in terrorists attacks". It asked the Supreme Court Committee on Road Safety, headed by former apex court judge Justice KS Radhakrishnan, to look into this "very serious issue" and file a report within two weeks. "This is obviously a very serious issue and persons who have lost their lives as a result of accidents caused due to potholes should be entitled to compensation," the court observed.

The bench also said the committee should give recommendations on potholes on roads as the issue was a part of road safety. "It is frightening. It is about life or death," the bench said, adding, it was not known where one would find potholes on roads which would lead to fatal accidents.