Claim
On 13 February this year, the Ministry of Road Transport told Parliament that around 9,100 deaths occurred in the past five years due to potholes, a 53% increase over the previous five years, with Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Maharashtra as the top three states.
“On 13 February... earlier this year, his government, the Ministry of Road Transport, replied to a question on the floor of the house saying there are 9,100 deaths that have occurred past 5 years due to potholes... This is a 53% increase from the previous 5 years. And... the top 3 states in this, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra.”▶ Watch source segment
Rationale
A Ministry of Road Transport written reply to Parliament on 13 February 2026 did report pothole deaths over five years (2020-2024) with a 53% increase, so the claim's core is grounded in a real parliamentary reply. However, three details are off: the total was 9,438 deaths (the anchor's 'around 9,100' understates it); the 53% figure describes the rise in annual deaths from 2020 to 2024 within the period, not an increase over the previous five-year block as claimed; and the top three states were Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu — Maharashtra was not among them. The claim is broadly right in substance but wrong on the third state and the nature of the 53% comparison.
Evidence
- https://www.business-standard.com/india-news/pothole-deaths-rise-53-in-5-yrs-up-accounts-for-over-half-of-fatalities-126021302001_1.html Reports the 13 February 2026 written Lok Sabha reply by Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari: 9,438 pothole-related deaths between 2020 and 2024, a 53% rise, with UP accounting for over half. ✗ unreachable · HTTP 403
- https://theprint.in/india/pothole-deaths-rise-53-in-5-years-up-accounts-for-over-half-of-9400-fatalities/2854367/ Confirms 9,438 deaths 2020-2024 and the state ranking: Uttar Pradesh 5,127, Madhya Pradesh 969, Tamil Nadu 612, Punjab 414 — Tamil Nadu, not Maharashtra, is third. ✗ unreachable · HTTP 403
- https://telanganatoday.com/pothole-related-deaths-rise-53-per-cent-in-five-years-centre-tells-parliament Clarifies the 53% figure is the rise in annual deaths within 2020-2024 (1,555 in 2020 to 2,385 in 2024), not a comparison with the previous five-year block; Maharashtra does not appear among the top states. ✓ reachable · archived