Bachchan Shot Road Safety Campaign Despite Fracture Nagpur: Union minister Nitin Gadkari highlighted an incident involving Bollywood icon Amitabh Bachchan during his address at the 14th foundation day of Jan Akrosh in Nagpur. Gadkari recounted how Bachchan, at 83, participated in a road safety campaign despite sustaining a hairline fracture in his hand. The actor, who had fallen while exercising two days prior to the shoot, continued filming the event without charging any fee. Gadkari revealed that Bachchan sought medical attention only after completing the shoot, which included an X-ray confirming the fracture. The minister praised Bachchan’s commitment to social responsibility, emphasizing his dedication to road safety initiatives without financial gain. Gadkari urged citizens and elected representatives to adopt similar civic consciousness, calling on corporators to take ownership of ensuring zero fatalities in their respective administrative zones. He emphasized the need to identify accident-prone areas and implement safety measures, particularly for school transport systems to protect children. The minister cited alarming statistics, noting that India records approximately 5 lakh road accidents annually, resulting in nearly 1.8 lakh deaths. He highlighted that 50,000 fatalities are attributed to not wearing helmets, 30,000 to seat belt neglect, and a significant 65% of victims falling within the 18-44 age group. Gadkari also underscored the tragic loss of children, stating that 10,000 to 12,000 children die while crossing roads near schools each year. He contrasted this with casualties during wars or the pandemic, stressing the urgency of addressing road safety. The minister introduced the ‘Rah Veer’ initiative, which rewards Good Samaritans aiding accident victims with Rs25,000 and provides up to Rs1.#nagpur #nitin_gadkari #amitabh_bachchan #jan_akrosh #road_safety_campaign
