Over 150,000 deaths in traffic crashes occur every year in India, imposing huge social and financial costs, particularly in low- and middle-income households. Nearly half of these fatalities, occurring in cities or suburban areas, affect the working-age populace the most. Also, children, the elderly, and the poor are especially vulnerable to such threats. 

Research from WRI Ross Center, the Global Road Safety Facility, and the World Bank finds that the most effective way to prevent traffic deaths is a systemic approach that shifts responsibility away from the drivers and pedestrians using the roads and instead puts the onus on city planners and officials designing them. An analysis in 53 countries found that cities that have taken a ‘Safe System’ based approach have achieved both the lowest rates of fatalities per 100,000 inhabitants and the greatest reduction in fatality levels over the past 20 years. 

WRI India works with city governments in India to provide technical support to implement strategies proven to effectively make streets safer by design.  

Our approach to redesigning streets and intersections includes:  

  • Baseline Data Collection and Analysis
  • Geometric correction through redesign
  • Conducting tactical trials to test ideas
  • Creating safe pedestrian infrastructure 

 

Key Initiatives : 
 
 

Namma Raste 

 
Namma Raste is an annual convening focused on shaping safer, more inclusive, and accessible mobility in Bengaluru, organized by Bengaluru's municipal agency, Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), with WRI India as the knowledge partner. This year, the second edition of Namma Raste (March 20-22, 2025) brought together over 5,000 participants, 70+ speakers, and 60+ partners from government, urban planning, research, and local communities. Karnataka’s Deputy Chief Minister, Shri DK Shivakumar, inaugurated the event and launched the ‘Namma Raste Kaipidi’, a first-of-its-kind handbook aimed at helping the city upgrade its street infrastructure. The annual exhibition-cum-convening aims to create discourse around the mobility needs of the city, exploring practical ways to improve road design, strengthen public transport, and support walking and cycling — key steps towards making Bengaluru a more livable city.  

namma

 

namma

 

 

Suraksha 75  


The ‘Suraksha 75 Mission 2023 ‘was launched by the Chief Minister of Karnataka and led by Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP)and Bengaluru Traffic Police with technical support from WRI India under the Bloomberg Philanthropies Initiative for Global Road Safety (BIGRS). Suraksha 75 aims to transform 75 high-risk intersections in the city. The program is trying to inculcate a people-centric approach in street design that enables equal opportunity for vulnerable road users, including pedestrians, the elderly, and children.  
 
Housed within the Bengaluru transport planning and urban development ecosystem, the Suraksha 75 program demonstrates a significant shift in the city agency’s approach toward street design. It brings together diverse stakeholders, sensitizes them about the need for adopting a people-centric approach in street design, and encourages active collaboration and standardization of processes for design and implementation. 

Suraksha

Visit Project:  www.suraksha75.bbmpgov.in  
 

 

IRC 32: Making School Zones in Indian Cities Safer for All 

 

Redesigning Risky Intersections  

In cities like Mumbai, 30% of the crashes occur at intersections. WRI India has been working on junction improvement projects across cities in India. 

Mumbai: WRI India transformed the Bandra’s HP junction followed by several intersections including Wadala, Nagpada, Lalbaug and Bharatmata to name a few. 

Delhi: WRI India partnered with the Delhi Traffic Police to transform the Delhi Gate junction, one of the riskiest intersections in the city. 

WRI India tests these design solutions on-ground by using low-cost material like paints, cones and barricades. The permanent installation is undertaken after receiving feedback from the stakeholders. 

The designs largely look at streamlining traffic movement and providing safer and accessible pedestrian infrastructure without reducing traffic lanes. 

Know More: Redesigning One of Mumbai’s Most Dangerous Intersections in 3 Simple Steps | TheCityFix 

 

Safer Mobility for Youth 

Road traffic injuries are the leading cause of death for children and young adults aged 5-29. Rohtak in Haryana was one of the 12 cities chosen across the globe for the Botnar Child Road Safety Challenge (BCRSC). 

In July 2020, WRI India initiated the ‘Safer Mobility for Youth’ project in Rohtak in partnership with the District Administration of Rohtak, Rohtak Police and Raahgiri Foundation with the objective of improving mobility for youth and developing accessible public spaces. 

The Safe rohTECH Challenge encouraged young innovators to develop technological solutions for improving the safety and travel experience of youth in Rohtak. 

The Mahra Rohtak Play(ce)making Competition invites young designers, architects and urban planners to reimagine public spaces for improving the quality of lives of citizens with a focus on youth. 

Know More: 

  

Making Access to Schools Safer  

India, which is home to the largest population of children in the world, loses 31 children every day to road traffic crashes. 

The first ‘Safe School Zone’ in Mumbai was designed after undertaking multiple consultations with stakeholders, including children in the age-group of 6-16 years – on how they wish to commute to school. 

The pilot in Mumbai was undertaken using tactical urbanism tools i.e., low-cost interventions to test the efficacy of the design solutions before it is made permanent. 

WRI India also launched the ‘Safe Access to Schools’ web tool, which brings together various datasets to understand road safety scenarios around schools in Bengaluru. 
 

Know More: https://youtu.be/jIpN3gsTFXA?feature=shared