Lok Sabha Question No. 274 (STARRED), answered on 2020-03-12
Subject: 3rd Global Ministerial Conference on Road Safety
Ministry: ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS
Asked by: Heena Vijaykumar Gavit, Sunil Dattatray Tatkare

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS

## LOK SABHA

## STARRED QUESTION NO. 274

ANSWERED ON 12 TH  MARCH, 2020

## 3rd GLOBAL MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE ON ROAD SAFETY

## *274.   DR. HEENA GAVIT:

SHRI SUNIL DATTATRAY TATKARE:

## Will the Minister of ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS

## सड़क परिवहन औि िाजमार्ग मंत्री

be pleased to state:

- (a) whether India represented at the 3rd Global Ministerial Conference on Road Safety held recently in Stockholm, Sweden organized by WHO and if so, the details including issues discussed therein and outcome thereof;
- (b) whether the World Bank in its report  titled Delivering Road Safety in  India has asked India to invest an estimated USD 109 billion in road safety over the next decade to halve its road crash fatalities and if so, the response of Government thereto;
- (c) whether  the  road  accidents  and  related  deaths  during  the  period  2010-2018  dropped drastically compared with the previous decades and if so, the details thereof along with the new corrective steps being taken to further bring down the accident related deaths; and
- (d) whether the Government has formulated a multi-pronged strategy based  on four E's  Education, Engineering, Enforcement, Emergency Care for road safety, if so, the details thereof and the achievements made so far?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS

## (SHRI NITIN JAIRAM GADKARI)

- (a) to  (d)      A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

## STATEMENT REFFERED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (d) OF THE LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 274 ANSWERED ON 12-03-2020 ASKED BY DR. HEENA GAVIT,  SHRI  SUNIL  DATTATRAY  TATKARE:    REGARDING  '3rd  GLOBAL MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE ON ROAD SAFETY'.

- (a)  Yes Sir. The Union Minster of Road Transport & Highways participated in the 3 rd Global Ministerial Conference on Road Safety held recently in Stockholm, Sweden during the period from 19 th to 20 th February, 2020.   The basic objective of the conference was to bring road safety on the global agenda and renew the commitment to safer roads.
- (b)   The World Bank in its report titled  'Delivering Road Safety in India- Leadership Priorities and Initiatives to 2030' have estimated requirement of additional investment of US$109 billion over  the  coming  decade  to  achieve  the  Sustainable  Development  Goal  (SDG)  target  of  a  50 percent reduction in national road crash fatalities in the country.
- (c)  Based on the available information, comparative statement of total number of road accidents, fatalities during period 2001-2010 and 2011-2018 are as under:-

|   Year | Total Number of Road Accidents (in numbers)   | Total Number of Persons Killed (in numbers)   |   Year | Total Number of Road Accidents (in numbers)   | Total Number of Persons Killed (in numbers)   |
|--------|-----------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------|--------|-----------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------|
|   2001 | 405,637                                       | 80,888                                        |   2010 | 499,628                                       | 134,513                                       |
|   2002 | 407,497                                       | 84,674                                        |   2011 | 497,686                                       | 142,485                                       |
|   2003 | 406,726                                       | 85,998                                        |   2012 | 490,383                                       | 138,258                                       |
|   2004 | 429,910                                       | 92,618                                        |   2013 | 486,476                                       | 137,572                                       |
|   2005 | 439,255                                       | 94,968                                        |   2014 | 489,400                                       | 139,671                                       |
|   2006 | 460,920                                       | 105,749                                       |   2015 | 501,423                                       | 146,133                                       |
|   2007 | 479,216                                       | 114,444                                       |   2016 | 480,652                                       | 150,785                                       |
|   2008 | 484,704                                       | 119,860                                       |   2017 | 464,910                                       | 147,913                                       |
|   2009 | 486,384                                       | 125,660                                       |   2018 | 467,044                                       | 151,417                                       |

The Motor Vehicle (Amendment) Act, 2019 recently passed by Parliament focuses on road safety and includes, inter-alia, revision in penalties for traffic violations, electronic monitoring of the  same,  enhanced  penalties  for  juvenile  driving,  computerization/automation  of  vehicle  fitness and driving, tests, recall of defective vehicles, streamlining the third party insurance and payment of increased  compensation  for  hit  and  run  cases  etc.  The  Amendment  has  strengthened  the  Law  to improve the road Safety scenario and reduce loss of lives.

The Ministry of Road Transport & Highways has notified 'Member of Parliaments' Road Safety Committee' in each district of the country to promote awareness amongst road users under the chairmanship of Hon'ble Member of Parliament (Lok Sabha) from the district.

- (d) The Ministry has formulated a multi-pronged strategy to address the issue of road safety based  on  Education,  Engineering  (both  of  roads  and  vehicles),  Enforcement  and  Emergency Care. Accordingly, various initiatives have been taken by the Ministry as detailed below:
- (i) Education:
-  Mobilizes various activities to promote road safety such as road safety advocacy and awareness programmes
-  Observance  of  National  Road  Safety  Week  every  year  for  spreading  awareness  and strengthening road safety.
-  A  Certification  Course  for  Road  Safety  Auditors  has  been  commenced  in  Indian Academy of Highway Engineers (IAHE

## (ii) Engineering (both of Roads and vehicles)

##  Road engineering

-  High  priority  to  identification  and  rectification  of  black  spots  (accident  prone spots) on national highways.
-  Road safety has been made an integral part of road design at planning stage.
-  The threshold for four laning of national highway has been reduced from 15,000 Passenger Car Units (PCUs) to 10,000 PCUs.
-  Ministry  has  delegated  powers  to  Regional  Officers  of  MORTH  for  technical approval  to  the  detailed  estimates  for  rectification  of  identified  Road  Accident black spots.
-  Guidelines  for  pedestrian  facilities  on  National  Highways  for  persons  with disabilities have also been issued to all States / UTs.

##  Vehicle engineering:

-  Safety standards for automobiles have been improved.
-  Ministry has notified fitment of Speed Limiting devices on all transport vehicles
-  Scheme  for  setting  up  one  model  Inspection  &  Certification  Centre  in  each State/UT  with  Central  assistance  for  testing  the  fitness  of  vehicles  through  an automated system

## (iii) Enforcement

-  The  recently  passed  motor  vehicles  (Amendment)  Act,  2019  provides  for  strict enforcement  through  use  of  technology  and  further  provides  for  strict  penalties  for ensuring strict compliance and enhancing deterrence for violation of traffic rules.
-  Issue of  Guidelines for protection of Good  Samaritans  and  draft  rules  as per MV(amendment) Act, 2019 has been published.

## (iv) Emergency care:

-  The  Ministry  provided  509  ambulances  under  National  Highways  Accidents  Relief Service Scheme to States/UTs/NGOs.
-  The Ministry of Road Transport & Highways had procured 70 number of Advance Life Support  Ambulances  (ALS) in 11th FY Plan. Out of 70 nos. of ambulances 64 nos. were provided to District Hospitals & Trauma Care Centres identified by Ministry of Health & Family Welfare under there scheme 'establishment of an integrated network of  Trauma  Centres  along  with  Golden  Quadrilateral,  North-South  and  East-West Corridors of the National Highways by upgrading the trauma care facilities in identified State Government Hospitals.'   The balance Six (6) nos. of ambulances were run on the Gurgaon-Jaipur  Corridor  where  cashless  treatment  scheme  was  implemented  during July, 2013 to March, 2016. Now these six ambulances have been transferred to NHAI for keeping on Ranchi-Jamshedpur NH Corridor.
-  Funds  to  three  states  namely  J&K,  Sikkim  and  Mizoram  have  been  released  for procurement of 172 Basic Life Support Ambulances (136, 31 and 5 respectively).
-  The  National  Highways  Authority  of  India  has  also deployed  466  ambulances  at toll plazas on the completed corridor of National Highways.