Lok Sabha Question No. 2600 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-12-22
Subject: Road Safety Measures
Ministry: ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS
Asked by: Manne Srinivas Reddy, Ranjanben Dhananjay Bhatt

be pleased to state:

- (a)  whether the  Government has received any proposals regarding provision  of  additional  road  safety  measures  along  the  National Highways in the country including Telangana and Andhra Pradesh;
- (b) if so, the details thereof during the last three years and the current year along with the action taken thereon;
- (c) the funds sanctioned and spent for the purpose during the said period, State-wise; and
- (d)  whether  the  Government  proposes  speedy  implementation  of rules  and  regulations  regarding  road  safety  and  if  so,  the  details thereof?

## ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS

(SHRI NITIN JAIRAM GADKARI)

(a)  to  (c)  Yes,  Sir.  Road  safety  measures  are  adopted  on  National Highways  (NHs)  in  accordance  with  Indian  Roads  Congress  (IRC) standards/guidelines on road safety at all stages of project implementation, i.e., design stage, construction stage, pre-opening stage and operations stage. Road safety provisions are implemented as integral part of project during widening to 2/4/6 lane, construction of  new  bypasses,  greenfield  expressways  and  also  as  standalone

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2600

ANSWERED ON 22  ND  DECEMBER, 2022

## ROAD SAFETY MEASURES

2600. SHRI MANNE SRINIVAS REDDY: SHRIMATI RANJANBEN DHANANJAY BHATT:

Will the Minister of ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS

सड़क परिवहन औि िाजमार्ग मंत्री

measures eg. improvement of junctions, provision of crash barriers, provision  of  Vehicular  under  Pass,  (VUP),  provision  of  elevated flyovers, widening in urban/built-up areas, replacement/widening of narrow culverts and bridges, etc. based on road safety audit reports as per site conditions. Details of standalone proposals approved as additional road safety measures in the country including States of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh during last three years and current year are at Annexure-I .

(d) Yes, Sir. The details are at Annexure-II.

ANNEXURE-I

ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (a) to (c) OF LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2600 TO BE ANSWERED ON 22ND DECEMBER, 2022 ASKED BY SHRI MANNE SRINIVAS REDDY AND SHRIMATI RANJANBEN DHANANJAY BHATT 'ROAD SAFETY MEASURES'.

| S.No           | State             | Number   | Sanction Cost (Rs. in Cr.)   | Expenditure (Rs. in Cr.)   |
|----------------|-------------------|----------|------------------------------|----------------------------|
| 1              | Andhra Pradesh    | 34       | 74.43                        | 10.95                      |
| 2              | Arunachal Pradesh | 4        | 69.59                        | 25.28                      |
| 3              | Assam             | 4        | 18.01                        | 0.41                       |
| 4              | Bihar             | -        | -                            | -                          |
| 5 Chhattisgarh | 5                 |          | 13.35                        | 2.69                       |
| 6              | Goa               | 2        | 4.35                         | -                          |
| 7 Gujarat      |                   | 8        | 91.87                        | 16.61                      |
| 8              | Haryana           | -        | -                            | -                          |
| 9 Himachal     | Pradesh           | 10       | 152.73                       | 66.58                      |
| 10 Jammu &     | Kashmir -         |          | -                            | -                          |
| 11 Jharkhand   | 5                 |          | 23.78                        | 8.73                       |
| 12             | Karnataka         | 12       | 194.52                       | 60.42                      |
| 13             | Kerala            | -        | -                            | -                          |
| 14 Madhya      | Pradesh           | 11       | 47.33                        | 4.17                       |
| 15             | Maharashtra       | 3        | 95.3                         | 79.04                      |
| 16             | Manipur           | 1        | 183                          | 183                        |
| 17 Meghalaya   | -                 |          | -                            | -                          |
| 18 Mizoram     | 1                 |          | 60.48                        | -                          |
| 19 Nagaland    | -                 |          | -                            | -                          |
| 20 Odisha      |                   | 13       | 35.13                        | 11.84                      |
| 21             | Punjab            | 6        | 64.45                        | 26.13                      |
| 22             | Rajasthan         | 4        | 46                           | 7.6                        |
| 23             | Sikkim            | 2        | 207.26                       | -                          |
| 24             | Tamil Nadu        | 144      | 846.6                        | 448.92                     |
| 25             | Telangana         | 10       | 171.56                       | 1.89                       |

|   26 | Tripura       |   - |     - |     - |
|------|---------------|-----|-------|-------|
|   27 | Uttar Pradesh |  20 | 79.72 | 18.68 |
|   28 | Uttarakhand   |   6 | 24.83 | 15.92 |
|   29 | West Bengal   |  13 | 96.86 | 20.62 |

ANNEXURE-II

ANNEXURE  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PART  (d)  OF  LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2600 TO BE ANSWERED ON 22ND DECEMBER, 2022 ASKED BY SHRI MANNE SRINIVAS REDDY AND SHRIMATI RANJANBEN DHANANJAY BHATT 'ROAD SAFETY MEASURES'.

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:-

- (1) Education:
- i.  To  create  effective  public  awareness  about  road  safety, Ministry undertakes various publicity measures and awareness campaigns  on  road  safety  through  social  media,  electronic media,  and  print  media.  Further,  Ministry  implements  a  Road Safety  Advocacy  Scheme  to  provide  financial  assistance  to various agencies for administering Road Safety Advocacy.
- ii.  Observance of National Road Safety Month/Week every year for spreading awareness and strengthening road safety.
- iii.  A  Certification  Course  for  Road  Safety  Auditors  has  been commenced in Indian Academy of Highway Engineers (IAHE).

iv.To impart driving training both theoretical and practical to the existing and aspiring drivers, for setting standards and monitoring driving training and issue of driving licence based on an objective of scientific process of testing skills, Ministry has been implementing a scheme for setting up of Institute of Driving Training & Research (IDTRs), Regional Driving Training Centres (RDTCs) and Driving Training Centres (DTCs) at district level in aspirational districts and other rural areas of the country.

- (2) Engineering (both of Roads and Vehicles)

## 2.1. Road Engineering:

i.  Road  safety  has  been  made  an  integral  part  of  road  design  at planning stage. Road Safety Audit of all highway projects has been made mandatory at all stages, i.e., design, construction, operation and maintenance.

ii.  High  priority  to  identification  and  rectification  of  black  spots (accident prone spots) on National Highways iii. Ministry has delegated powers to Regional Officers for technical approval of the detailed estimates for rectification of identified Road Accident black spots.

iv Guidelines for pedestrian facilities on National Highways for  persons with disabilities have also been issued to all States / UTs.

v. The electronic Detailed Accident Report (e-DAR) Project has been initiated to establish to a central repository for reporting, management and analysis of road accidents data across the Country.

vi.  This  Ministry  and  IRC has issued various codes and guidelines, time to time, to implement various road safety measures so as to minimize accidents on National Highways.

## 2.2 Vehicle engineering:

i. The Ministry has notified regarding mandatory provision of an airbag for the passenger seated on the front seat of a vehicle, next to the driver. Furthermore, the Ministry has also proposed that vehicles of category M1, manufactured after 01st October,

2022, shall be fitted with two side/side torso air bags, one each for the persons occupying front row outboard seating positions and  two  side  curtain/tube  air  bags,  one  each  for  the  persons occupying outboard seating positions.

ii. Ministry has notified the mandatory fitment of following listed safety technologies from 01st July 2019.

For M1 category vehicles:

- a. Seat Belt Reminder (SBR) for driver and co-driver.
- b. Manual Override for central locking system
- c. Over speed warning system.

For all M and N category vehicles:

## a. Reverse Parking Alert System

- iii. This Ministry has proposed that all front facing seats in vehicles of M1 category, manufactured on and after 01st October 2022, be provided with three point seat belt.
- iv. Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS) for certain classes of L [Motor vehicle with les s than four wheels and includes a Quadricycle], M [Motor vehicles with at least four wheels used for carrying passengers] and N [Motor vehicles with at  least four wheels used  for  carrying  goods  w  hich  may  also  carry  persons  in addition  to  goods,  subject  to  conditions  stipulated  in  BIS standards] categories.
- v. This Ministry has mandated approval of vehicles for protection of  occupants  in  the  event  of  an  Offset  Frontal  Collision,  for requirements for behavior of steering mechanism of the vehicle in a Head-on collision, Protection of Occupants in the event of Lateral Collision  a  nd  for  approval  of  vehicles  with  regard  to protection of pedestrians and other vulnerable road users in the event of a collision with a motor vehicle.
- vi. Regulations for Bharat New Car Assessment Programme -The Ministry  of  Road  Transport  and  Highways  has  issued  a  draft

notification dated 24th June 2022, whereby it is proposed to insert a new rule 126E in CMVR (Central Motor Vehicles Rules), 1989  regarding  the  Bharat  New  Car  Assessment  Program (BNCAP). The following has been proposed :-

- It is applicable on Type Approved motor vehicles of category M1  [motor  vehicles  used  for  the  carriage  of  passengers, comprising not more than eight seats, in addition to driver's seat] with gross vehicle weight less than 3.5 Tonnes, manufactured or imported in the country, in accordance with the Automotive Industry Standard (AIS)-197, as amended from time to time. The standard is aligned with global benchmarks: it is beyond minimum regulatory requirements.
- Bharat NCAP rating will provide consumers an i ndication of the level of protection offered to occupants by evaluating the vehicle in the areas of (a) Adult Occupant Protection (AOP) (b) Child Occupant Protection (COP) and (c) Safety Assist Technologies (SAT). The vehicle shall be assigned a star rating from one to five stars, based on scoring against various tests undertaken as per AIS 197.
- It introduces the concept of safety rating of passenger cars and empowers consumers to take informed decisions. It will promote export worthiness of the cars produced by OEMs in the country and increase the domestic customer's confidence in  these  vehicles.  Additionally  the  program  will  encourage manufacturers  to  provide  advanced  safety  technologies  to earn higher ratings.
- m will be carried out at Testing Agencies, with the necessary infrastructure, referred
- The testing of vehicles for this progra to in Rule 126 of CMVR 1989.
- Date of Applicability: 1st day of April 2023.

vii. The Ministry has mandated speed limiting function/speed limiting device  in  all  transport  vehicles,  except  for  two  wheelers,  three wheelers, quadricycles, fire tenders, ambulances and police vehicles.

viii.This  Ministry has mandated compliance of the fully built buses (with a seating capacity of 22 passengers or above, excluding driver), manufactured on and after 1st April 2019, with the requirements of Fire Detection, Alarm and Suppression system. Further, compliance of type III buses of category M3 and school buses with fire alarm and protection system in occupant compar tment has also been mandated.

ix.The Ministry has prescribed the format in which vehicle manufacturers issue the Road Worthiness Certification for registering motor vehicles.

x. 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.

- xi.  This  Ministry,  vide  notification  dated  15th  February,  2022  has prescribed norms related to safety measures for children below four years  of  age,  riding  or  being  carried  on  a  motor  cycle.  Further,  it specifies use of a safety harness, crash helmet and restricts speed to 40kmph.
3. Enforcement:
- i.  The  Motor  Vehicles  (Amendment)  Act,  2019  provides  for  strict penalties for ensuring strict compliance and enhancing deterrence for  violation  of  traffic  rules  and  strict  enforcement  through  use  of technology.

ii. Issue of Guidelines for protection of Good Samaritans and rules as per MV (Amendment) Act, 2019 has been published. Notification vide GSR  652  (E)  dt  23rd  September  2021-  provides  for  recognition, regulation and control of Automated Testing Stations.

iii.  These rules define the procedure for fitness testing of vehicles through automated equipment and the procedure for grant of fitness certificate by ATSs. These rules came into effect on 25th September 2021.

iv. Notification vide GSR 272(E) dated 05th April 2022, provides for mandatory  fitness  of  vehicles  only  through  an  Automated  Testing Stations. It mandates the fitness check of Heavy Goods Vehicles/Heavy  Passenger  Motor  Vehicles  only  through  automated testing  stations  with  effect  from  01st  April  2023  onwards,  and  for Medium Goods Vehicles/Medium Passenger Motor Vehicles and Light Motor vehicles (Transport) with effect from 01st June 2024 onwards.

v. MoRTH has issued notification G.S.R. 575(E) dt 11th August, 2021 for Electronic Monitoring and Enforcement of Road Safety. The rules specify the detailed provisions for placement of electronic enforcement devices (speed camera, closed-circuit television camera,  speed  gun,  body  wearable  camera,  dashboard  camera, Automatic  Number  Plate  Recognition  (ANPR),  weigh  in  machine (WIM) and any such technology).

State Governments shall ensure that appropriate electronic enforcement  devices  are placed at high-risk and high-density corridors on National Highways and State Highways, and at critical junctions  at  least  in  major  cities  with  more  than  one  million population  (as  per  data  available  based  on  Million  Plus  Urban Agglomerations or Cities: census of India 2011 or as per the latest census)  including  the  132  non-attainment  cities  (under  National Clean Air Programme), and the electronic enforcement device shall be placed in such a manner so as not to cause any obstruction, line of-sight issues or interruption in traffic flow

i. The National Highways Authority of India has made provisions for ambulances  with paramedical staff/Emergency Medical Technician/Nurse  at  toll  plazas  on  the  completed  corridor  of ii. Ministry has implemented a Scheme for grant of Award to the Good Samaritan who has saved life of a victim of a fatal accident involving a motor vehicle by administering immediate assistance and rushing to Hospital/Trauma Care Centre within the Golden

iii.  Ministry  vide  notification  dated  25th   February,  2022  has enhanced  compensation  of  victims  of  Hit  and  Run  motor accidents (from Rs. 12,500 to Rs. 50,000 for grievous hurt and

(4) Emergency care: National Highways. Hour of the accident to provide medical treatment. from Rs. 25,000 to Rs. 2,00,000 for death).

*****