Deadly potholes: Accountability missing on Punjab’s roads

PUNJAB’s roads are claiming lives in a manner that should shame any government that speaks the language of development. Recent disclosures show that 414 people have died in pothole-related accidents in Punjab between 2020 and 2024 — the highest toll in North India. Across the region, 743 lives were lost during the same period. Nationally, the figure crosses 9,400. These are not isolated mishaps but a consequence of infrastructure neglect playing out on open roads. A pothole is a failure of planning, execution and maintenance. Monsoon rains expose weak pavement structures, water collects in depressions and heavy traffic accelerates deterioration. In such conditions, two-wheelers and cars alike are left vulnerable — skidding, swerving or losing balance when they encounter deep craters, especially during night or low-visibility conditions. Repairs, if undertaken, are often cosmetic and temporary.

That Punjab has emerged as the worst-affected state in the region should prompt urgent action. Building new road stretches without ensuring a robust, routine maintenance mechanism defeats the purpose of connectivity. Infrastructure must not only be constructed but also kept safe. Yet, defect liability clauses in contracts are frequently unenforced, timelines for repairs are often delayed indefinitely and accountability mechanisms are weak. The remedies are neither complex nor unaffordable. Time-bound repair mandates, independent third-party audits, public geo-tagging complaint systems and strict blacklisting of negligent contractors can drastically reduce risk. What is required is political will and administrative seriousness.

Development cannot be measured merely by the length of roads built. A truly developed transport network is one that protects lives. Until road maintenance is taken as seriously as road expansion, Punjab’s highways will continue to be measured not by kilometres completed, but by lives lost.