The World Bank PforR operation (ISSPRS), of US$500 million, will implement the government’s program in Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal. The division of states under the two loan programs (World Bank and ADB) is based on the strategic prior engagement with the states, ensuring an even mix of low and high-capacity states in terms of road safety management and geographical distribution.

The PforR Program will support all areas of the government’s program except for high-value contracts, and civil works that pose significant social and environmental challenges and risks. The design of the program will provide the opportunity to catalyze and champion various thematic reforms, priority areas, institutional development, and innovations for sustaining the efforts and goals toward GOI’s national and international road safety commitments.

The ISSPRS will focus on strengthening the institutional framework to mainstream best management practices on road safety. The target for the participating states is to establish a central/lead road institution with requisite financial and administrative autonomy that will coordinate and collaborate with various state/local government departments and other non-state stakeholders. This would help prepare the ground for integrated and results-focused strategic planning and budgeting for road safety in states, the desired outcome of the road safety PforR program. Another critical focus of the interventions is to create an enabling environment for sustainable financing of road safety through mobilization of private capital and investment in the areas of resilient infrastructure development, enforcement, and post-crash care.