UN Road Safety Fund Launched Road Safety Financing Project in India

India has received a major boost in its fight against road accidents. The United Nations Road Safety Fund (UNRSF) launched a new Sustainable Road Safety Financing Project on 24 February 2026 in New Delhi. The launch took place during the visit of the UN Secretary General’s Special Envoy for Road Safety, Jean Todt. This initiative aims to strengthen India’s road safety ecosystem by creating stable and innovative funding mechanisms to support life saving interventions nationwide.

What Is the UNRSF Road Safety Project in India?

• The project, launched by the United Nations Road Safety Fund (UNRSF) which is focuses on helping the Government of India develop a comprehensive national strategy for sustainable road safety financing.
• The core objective is to ensure long-term, coordinated funding for road safety measures across both national and state levels.
• The initiative was unveiled in the presence of Jean Todt, the UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Road Safety.

Key Focus Areas of the Road Safety Financing Project

The UNRSF India project aims to transform how road safety programmes are funded.

The key pillars include,

• Strengthening National and State Road Safety Funds.
• Introducing innovative financing tools such as road safety bonds.
• Exploring dedicated taxes for road safety.
• Promoting Public-Private Partnerships (PPP).
• Building government capacity for effective resource allocation.

By creating predictable and diversified funding streams, the project ensures that road safety measures are not dependent solely on annual budget allocations.

Partnership Model: Multi-Stakeholder Implementation

The project is being implemented in collaboration with,

• Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH).
• State Governments.
• World Health Organization (WHO).
• UNICEF.
• Save LIFE Foundation.

This multi-stakeholder approach ensures technical expertise, policy alignment, and on-ground implementation support.

Alignment with Global Road Safety Goals

• The project is aligned with the Global Plan for the Decade of Action for Road Safety 2021-2030 and which aims to reduce road traffic deaths and injuries by at least 50% by 2030.
• It also supports the UN General Assembly Resolution A/78/L.78, focused on improving global road safety systems.
• By aligning domestic reforms with international frameworks, India strengthens its commitment to global road safety targets.

Why Sustainable Road Safety Financing Matters for India

India records one of the highest numbers of road accident fatalities globally. Road crashes result in significant social and economic losses.

Sustainable financing can,

• Ensure consistent funding for enforcement and awareness campaigns.
• Improve road infrastructure and engineering standards.
• Strengthen trauma care systems.
• Support data-driven safety interventions.

The introduction of tools like road safety bonds and dedicated taxes allows long-term capital mobilisation specifically for road safety initiatives.

What Are Road Safety Bonds and PPP Models?

Road safety bonds are financial instruments through which funds are raised from investors to finance safety infrastructure and programmes. Investors receive returns over time, often backed by government guarantees or revenue streams.

Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) allow collaboration between government agencies and private sector entities for,

• Technology deployment.
• Road engineering improvements.
• Surveillance and enforcement systems.

These mechanisms reduce the burden on public budgets while accelerating implementation.

About the United Nations Road Safety Fund (UNRSF)

• Established: 2018 by the United Nations as a global trust fund.
• Focus: Supports road safety initiatives, especially in low and middle income countries.
• Primary Objective: Help countries design and implement effective road safety strategies.

Core Aims

• Reduce road traffic deaths and serious injuries.
• Strengthen national road safety laws and policies.
• Promote sustainable road safety financing.
• Improve safer infrastructure, vehicles, and user behaviour.
• Approach: Emphasizes systemic reforms over isolated interventions.

Question

Q. The UNRSF project in India focuses primarily on,

A. Electric vehicle manufacturing
B. Highway privatization
C. Sustainable road safety financing
D. Urban metro development