Hyderabad, May 18 -- Between 2019 and 2023, India recorded nearly 8 lakh road crash deaths, with pedestrians accounting for 1.5 lakh or 20 percent of the fatalities, according to new data.

The India Status Report on Road Safety, released by the Transportation Research and Injury Prevention Centre and IIT-Delhi, highlights low compliance by states in providing footpaths, despite the constitutional right under Article 21 guaranteeing pedestrian access.

Audit reveals gaps in footpath construction

An audit, ordered by a Supreme Court panel and conducted in 24 states, found footpath availability on roads ranging from 19 percent to 73 percent, with Maharashtra leading in coverage, The Times of India reported.

The audit, which covered four c...