A multi-pronged strategy is being put in place to stop growing rate of fatal accidents in the country. At present, India has the highest rate of road accidents across the world.

In an exclusive interview to All India Radio, Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways Nitin R. Gokran said the measures include a tough law is being brought to punish those responsible for violating the traffic rules.

He said a Bill will be introduced in the Budget Session of Parliament for the purpose.

Mr. Gokran expressed serious concern over alarming rise in the rate of road accidents and said that widening the road network and standardizing licensing procedure to reduce accidents apart from better education to public are some of the measures to reduce accidents.

AIR correspondent reports that over one lakh people were killed in road accidents in 2009 according to WHO's global status report on the subject.

The full interview can be heard in the Spotlight programme from 9.15 P.M. on wards on FM Gold and Rajdhani .