The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), under the visionary leadership of Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, has launched the Sadak Suraksha Abhiyan (SSA) 2026. This vital nationwide public awareness campaign is dedicated to promoting responsible road behavior across India, bringing together some of the country's most prominent personalities to advocate for road safety.
Celebrity Power for a Crucial Cause
Lending their powerful voices and presence to this significant initiative are renowned figures from the entertainment industry, ensuring a broad reach and impact:
• Amitabh Bachchan
• Alia Bhatt
• Vicky Kaushal
• Kay Kay Menon
• Renowned singer-composer Shankar Mahadevan
• Lyricist-composer Swanand Kirkire
Their collective star power aims to inspire millions of Indians to embrace safer road practices and prioritize road safety as a shared responsibility.
Fourth Consecutive Year with a Grand Telethon Marking its fourth successful year, the Sadak Suraksha Abhiyan 2026 will culminate in a grand telethon on CNN-News18. Scheduled for January 25 in Mumbai, this high-impact awareness event will feature engaging conversations and performances, all meticulously designed to drive behavioral change and strengthen public commitment towards road safety. The initiative seeks to transition from mere awareness to concrete action on Indian roads.
Alarming Road Safety Statistics
The urgency of SSA 2026 is underscored by grim official MoRTH data from 2024, revealing a pressing need for sustained national awareness:
• India recorded a staggering 4,87,707 road crashes.
• These incidents led to 1,77,175 fatalities, equating to an average of nearly 485 lives lost every single day.
• Alarmingly, over two-thirds of these deaths involved individuals between the ages of 18 and 45, highlighting the severe impact on the nation's most productive demographic.
Significant risk factors contributing to these fatalities include over speeding, rash driving, dangerous overtaking, jaywalking, non-use of helmets and seatbelts, and critical delays in providing assistance during the 'golden hour' post-accident.
'Kartavya': The Guiding Principle The central theme for SSA 2026 is 'Kartavya' (Duty), reinforcing the profound idea that road safety transcends regulatory compliance to become a fundamental civic responsibility. This shift is powerfully captured in the campaign’s evocative tagline: “Parvaah Se, Kartavya Tak”, symbolizing a journey from concern to conscious, dutiful action on India's roads.
Four Pillars for Transformative Impact
This year's edition is anchored around four strategic pillars, developed to build comprehensive awareness, promote disciplined behavior, leverage advanced technology, and enable long-term, community-driven transformation:
• Kartavya (Duty): Emphasizing individual and collective responsibility.
• Kayda (Discipline): Promoting adherence to traffic rules and disciplined conduct.
• Kavach (Shield): Harnessing technology and AI for enhanced safety measures.
• Kranti (Change): Enabling sustainable, community-driven societal transformation.
Santosh Menon, Chief Content Officer, Network18, articulated the collective commitment, stating, “Sadak Suraksha Abhiyan represents a unified effort to make our roads safer, bringing together government, institutions, industry, media, and citizens on a shared platform of responsibility.” Puneet Singhvi, Chief Strategy Officer, Network18 Group, further affirmed their dedication to amplifying the campaign’s message and fostering responsible road behavior that can dramatically reduce preventable crashes and save countless lives.
With robust celebrity endorsement and extensive nationwide reach, Sadak Suraksha Abhiyan 2026 aims to transcend mere awareness, inspiring genuine action and embedding road safety as a paramount shared responsibility among all citizens. Tune into the grand telethon on CNN-News18 on Sunday, January 25, starting from 11:00 am onwards.
