Lok Sabha Question No. 627 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-07-25
Subject: Road Safety
Ministry: ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS
Asked by: Shri Rahul Kaswan, Smt. Poonamben Hematbhai Maadam

## be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  the  Government  has  formulated  any  comprehensive policy to improve road safety in the country and if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;
- (b) the details of the funds allocated and spent towards road safety during the last five years;
- (c) whether the Government has undertaken public awareness campaigns about road safety, if so, the details thereof;
- (d) the  details  of  notable  initiatives  taken  or  campaigns  associated with road safety; and
- (e) whether the Government has established mechanisms for citizens to provide feedback or report road safety issues, if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS (SHRI NITIN JAIRAM GADKARI)

- (a)      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 at Annexure - I.
- (b)     Road Safety is an integral and indispensable component of every National Highways Project. Road Safety initiatives on National Highways commence with the inception of Detailed Project report as road  safety  audit  of  all  National  Highways  projects  has  been  made mandatory at all stages i.e. design, construction, operation & maintenance  through  third  party  auditors/experts.  As  per  available data,  funds  allocated  to  be  spent  for  comprehensive  road  safety aspects varies from 2.21 % to 15 % of total cost of the development projects depending  upon  structures  involved for construction of National Highways.

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 627 ANSWERED ON 25 TH  JULY, 2024

## ROAD SAFETY

## 627.  SHRI RAHUL KASWAN:

SMT. POONAMBEN HEMATBHAI MAADAM:

## Will the Minister of ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS

सड़क परिवहन औि िाजमार्ग मंत्री

Besides, Ministry also implements schemes for creation of awareness among road users, financial assistance for setting up of Model Driving Model Inspection  &  Certification  Centres,  improving  and  Strengthening  of Public  Transport  System  etc.  The  details  of  funds  released  by  the

Training Institutes/Centres in States/UTs, setting up of Ministry for these schemes during last five years are at Annexure - II.

- (c)  and (d) Ministry has taken various  public awareness initiatives for road safety which inter-alia includes : -
- i. Various road safety activities including road safety pledge, road safety quiz, training of road safety volunteers etc. were conducted through MY Bharat Portal during the National Road Safety Month, 2024.
- ii. Ministry sanctioned financial assistance to States/UTs for conducting road safety activities during the National Road Safety Month, 2024.
- iii. Ministry  administers  Road  Safety  Advocacy  Scheme  to  provide financial  assistance  to  various  agencies  for  raising  awareness about road safety and for administering road safety programs.
- Ministry along with Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi, has implemented a pilot program for improving vision and well-being of  50,000  truck  drivers  along  with  measures  like  basic  health check-up, awareness and sensitization about health and hygiene,
- iv. and basic yoga techniques.
- v. Ministry  creates  road  safety  awareness  through  messages  on social media handles X, facebook, instagram etc.
- vi. Ministry  has  circulated  sign  and  signages  booklets  and  display panels to all the CBSE affiliated schools in the country. Additionally, handbook  on  eDAR,  Signages  on  NHs/NEs  and scheme  for  compensation  to  victims  of  Hit  and  Run  motor accidents are also circulated to concerned stakeholders.
- vii. National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) has taken initiatives to spread awareness  about  the 1033 helpline number  through installing  posters/hoardings  near  the  Toll  Plazas  and  signboards along National Highways.
- (e)      Ministry  redresses  queries/suggestions  received  on  Centralized Public Grievance redress and monitoring system (CPGRMS) platform.

Ministry has also developed a Media Attention Portal to systematically monitor,  manage  and  address  media-reported  issues  related  to  road infrastructure  that  fall  under  Ministry's  purview.  This  portal  aims  to enhance accountability, transparency and efficiency in handling public grievances and media reports management.

Toll  free  1033  helpline  number  and  Rajmargyatra  App  has  been launched by National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) for the benefit of the Highway users.

General Statutory Rules (GSR) Notifications under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 are notified after due consideration and consultation with all the concerned stakeholders.

ANNEXURE  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PART  (a)  OF  LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 627 ANSWERED ON 25 TH  JULY, 2024 ASKED BY SHRI RAHUL KASWAN & SMT. POONAMBEN HEMATBHAI MAADAM

REGARDING ROAD SAFETY.

Details of various initiatives taken by the Ministry to address the issue of Road Safety: -

## (1)        Education:

- i.          Ministry  administers  Road  Safety  Advocacy  Scheme  to provide financial assistance to various agencies for raising awareness  about  road  safety  and  for  administering  road  safety programs.
- ii.        Observance of National Road Safety Month/Week every year for spreading awareness and strengthening road safety.
- iii.       Ministry administers a scheme for setting up of Institutes of Driving  Training  &  Research  (IDTRs),  Regional  Driving  Training Centres (RDTCs) and Driving Training Centres (DTCs) at state/district level across the Country.
- (2)       Engineering (both of Roads and vehicles) :

## 2.1.    Road engineering:

- i.        Road  Safety  Audit  (RSA)  of  all  National  Highways  (NHs)  has been made mandatory through third party auditors/ experts at all stages i.e. design, construction, operation and maintenance etc.
- ii.      High priority is accorded to identification and rectification of black spots /accident spots on NHs.
- iii.       Road  Safety  Officer  (RSO)  has  been  designated  at  each Regional Office of road owning agencies under the Ministry to look after RSA and other road safety related works. RSO of each RO will submit road worthiness certificate of National Highway under their jurisdiction biannually.
- iv.     Ministry administers the electronic Detailed Accident Report (e-DAR)  Project  to  establish  a  central  repository  for  reporting, management  and  analysis  of  road  accidents  data  across  the Country.
- v.      Ministry has issued guidelines for the provision of signages on Expressways  and  National  Highways  to  offer  improved  visibility and intuitive guidance to the drivers.
- vi.    Provisions have been made in the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 for failure to comply with standards for the road design, construction and maintenance by the Central Government from time to time.

## 2.2    Vehicle engineering:

Ministry has taken various initiatives to make vehicles safer, including the following:-

- i.        Mandatory provision of an airbag for the passenger seated on the front seat of a vehicle, next to the driver.
- ii.         Prescribed  norms  related  to  safety  measures  for  children below four years of age, riding or being carried on a motor cycle. It also specifies use of a safety harness, crash helmet and restricts speed to 40kmph.
- iii.         Mandatory  provisions  for  fitment  of  following  listed  safety technologies: -

## For M1 category vehicles:

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

## For all M and N category vehicles:

- Reverse Parking Alert System
- iv.      Mandated Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS) for certain classes of  L  [Motor  vehicle  with  less  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  which  may  also  carry  persons  in addition to goods, subject to conditions stipulated in BIS standards] categories.
- v.       Mandated speed limiting function/speed limiting device in all transport vehicles, except  for  two  wheelers,  three  wheelers, quadricycles, fire tenders, ambulances and police vehicles.
- vi.   Published  the  rules  for  recognition,  regulation  and  control  of Automated Testing Stations, which define the procedure for fitness testing of vehicles through automated equipment and the procedure for grant of fitness certificate by ATSs. The rules have been further amended on 31.10.2022 and 14.03.2024.
- vii. Formulated the Vehicle Scrapping Policy based on incentives/dis-incentives  and  for  creating  an  ecosystem  to  phase out older, unfit a polluting vehicles.
- viii.     A  Scheme  to  set  up  one  model  Inspection  &  Certification Centre  in  each  State/UT  with  Central  assistance  for  testing  the fitness of vehicles through an automated system.
- ix.      Published  rules  regarding  the  Bharat  New  Car  Assessment Program  (BNCAP)  to  introduce  the  concept  of  safety  rating  of passenger cars and empower consumers to take informed decisions.
- x.      Published rules regarding prescribed level playing field in the area of manufacturing of buses by Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) and Bus Body Builders.
- xi.     Mandated vehicles manufactured on or after 01.10.2025 shall be fitted with an air-conditioning system for the cabin of vehicles of N2 (goods vehicle with gross vehicle weight exceeding 3.5 tonnes but not exceeding 12.0 tonnes) and N3 (goods vehicle with gross vehicle weight exceeding 12.0 tonnes) category.

## (3)        Enforcement:

- i.          The  Motor  Vehicles  (Amendment)  Act,  2019  as  stands implemented provides for strict penalties for ensuring compliance and  enhancing  deterrence  for  violation  of  traffic  rules  and  strict enforcement through use of technology.
- ii.         Ministry  has  issued  rules  for  Electronic  Monitoring  and Enforcement  of Road  Safety. The rules specify the detailed provisions for placement of electronic enforcement devices on high risk & high density corridors on National Highways, State Highways and critical junctions in cities with more than one million population.
- iii.      Ministry on 10 th   June, 2024 has issued an advisory to all the States  and  Union  territories  on  technological  interventions  for ensuring compliance with Motor Vehicle Act, 1988.

## (4)        Emergency care:

- i.      Ministry has for the protection of Good Samaritan, who in good faith, voluntarily and without expectation of any reward or compensation  renders  emergency  medical  or  nonmedical  care  or assistance at the scene of an accident to the victim or transports such victim to the hospital.
- ii.     Ministry has enhanced compensation of victims of Hit and Run motor  accidents  (from  Rs.  12,500  to  Rs.  50,000  for  grievous  hurt and from Rs. 25,000 to Rs. 2,00,000 for death).
- iii.    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 National Highways.
- iv.      Ministry  along  with  National  Health  Authority  (NHA),  has implemented  a  pilot  program  for  providing  cashless  treatment  to victims of road accidents in Chandigarh and Assam.

ANNEXURE  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PART  (b)  OF  LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 627 ANSWERED ON 25 TH  JULY, 2024 ASKED BY SHRI RAHUL KASWAN & SMT. POONAMBEN HEMATBHAI MAADAM REGARDING ROAD SAFETY.

## The details of funds released by the Ministry for these initiatives during the last five Financial Years are as under:-

|   Sl. No. | Activity/ Programme                                                                                                                                | BE FY 2019 -20   | Expen diture in FY 2019- 20   | BE FY 2020 -21   | Expe nditur e in FY 2020- 21   | BE FY 2021 -22   | Expe nditur e ini n FY 2021 -22   | BE FY 2022 -23   | (Rs. Expe nditur e in FY 2022- 23   | In BE FY 2023 -24   | Crores) Expe nditur e in FY 2023- 24   |
|-----------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------|-------------------------------|------------------|--------------------------------|------------------|-----------------------------------|------------------|-------------------------------------|---------------------|----------------------------------------|
|         1 | Road Safety publicity measures and awareness campaigns, NHARSS, refresher Training of Drivers in Unorganised Sector and Human Resource Development | 130. 00          | 46. 26                        | 171. 00          | 65. 94                         | 109. 00          | 41. 48                            | 189. 50          | 68. 67                              | 138. 00             | 86. 33                                 |
|         2 | Inspection and Certification Centres (Revenue)                                                                                                     | 22. 00           | 15. 08                        | 29. 00           | 16. 20                         | 29. 00           | 14. 15                            | 33. 00           | 14. 60                              | 24. 00              | 17. 00                                 |
|         3 | Improving and Strengthenin g of Public Transport System                                                                                            | 89. 00           | 1. 40                         | 89. 00           | 30. 60                         | 103. 00          | 10.80                             | 15. 00*          | 30. 33                              | 50. 00              | 38. 00                                 |

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