Lok Sabha Question No. 5490 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-04-03
Subject: Safety and Maintenance of Roads in Dhubri
Ministry: ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS
Asked by: Md. Rakibul Hussain

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 5490 ANSWERED ON 03 RD  APRIL, 2025

## SAFETY AND MAINTENANCE OF ROADS IN DHUBRI

5490.    MD. RAKIBUL HUSSAIN:

Will the Minister of ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS

सड़क परिवहन औि िाजमार्ग मंत्री

be pleased to state:

- (a)      the  steps  being  taken  to  enhance  road  safety  measures  on National  Highways  in  Dhubri,  including  the  installation  of  traffic signals, signages and accident-prone zone identification sign boards;
- (b)      the  manner  in  which  the  Government  is  ensuring  the  timely maintenance and repair of roads in Dhubri especially during and after the monsoon season when road conditions often worsen due to heavy rains; and
- (c)      whether  there  is  any  focus  on  improving  the  infrastructure  for public  transport,  such  as  the  construction  of  bus  terminals  and  safe passenger waiting areas, to enhance travel experience for both locals and tourists in Dhubri, if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS

(SHRI NITIN JAIRAM GADKARI)

- (a)    The steps taken to enhance road safety on National Highways in Dhubri district of Assam State include:
- i)        Installation  of  reflective  and  standardized  road  safety  signages for speed limits, sharp curves, junctions,etc.,to enhance visibility and ensure safer driving conditions.
- ii)       Identification  and  rectification  of  accident  prone  area  (s)/Black Spot (s).
- iii)      Marking  of  center  and  edge  lines  with  reflective  studs  and delineators to enhance night-time visibility and ensure safer navigation for drivers.
- iv)       Installation  of  rumble  strips,  transverse  bar  marking,  cat-eye reflectors and guardrails/crash barriers at high-risk locations to enhance safety and prevent accidents.
- v)      Road safety campaigns and stricter enforcement of traffic rules through collaboration with law enforcement agencies.
- vi)     Installation of warning boards and cautionary signages.

Further,  all  safety  norms  have  been  incorporated  right  from  design stage to implementation stage on National Highways in Dhubri District. Proper  signages  have  also  been  provisioned  as  per  Indian  Road Congress  (IRC):119-2015  (Guidelines  for  Traffic  Safety  Barriers),  and IRC:67-2012 (Code of Practice for Road Signs).

Furthermore,  the  Government  in  the  Ministry  of  Road  Transport  and Highways  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   for  road  safety  in  the  country   as  per Annexure.

- (b)     The standards and benchmarks for the maintenance of National Highways are defined by the Indian Roads Congress (IRC) specifications and the  Government guidelines. These standards cover various  aspects  such  as  pavement  quality,  road  markings,  signages, drainage  systems  and  safety  features  to  ensure  smooth  and  safe travel  for  users.  The  standards  are  reviewed  periodically  based  on advancements  in  technology,  climatic  conditions,  traffic  growth  and stakeholders' feedback.
- (c) All 4-laning projects entrusted to National Highways & Infrastructure  Development  Corporation  Limited  (NHIDCL)  in  Dhubri District  of  Assam  State  have  provisions  of  Bus  Bays  and  Truck  Lay byes. Details are given below :

| Sl. No.   | Project                                         |   Bus bay with passenger shelter (in Dhubri) |   Truck Lay Bye (in Dhubri) |
|-----------|-------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------|-----------------------------|
| i.        | 4 laning of Srirampur - Dhubri Pkg-I on NH-127B |                                            3 |                           1 |

| ii.   | 4 laning of Srirampur - Dhubri Pkg-II on NH-127B   |   4 |   0 |
|-------|----------------------------------------------------|-----|-----|
| iii.  | Bilasipura - Guwahati Pkg-I on NH-17               |   1 |   0 |

ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (a) OF LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 5490 ANSWERED ON 3 RD  APRIL, 2025 ASKED BY MD. RAKIBUL HUSSAIN REGARDING SAFETY AND MAINTENANCE OF ROADS IN DHUBRI.

Details  of  various  initiatives  taken  by  the  Government  in  Ministry  of Road Transport and Highways for road safety : -

- (1)        Education:
- i.        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.     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 :
6. 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   to  look  after  RSA  and  other  road safety related works.
- iv.     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.      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, as prescribed by the Government from time to time.

## 2.2    Vehicle engineering:

Various initiatives were undertaken 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  (ATSs),  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/disincentives and for creating an ecosystem to phase out old, unfit and polluting vehicles.
- viii. Formulated  a Scheme  to  set up one model  Inspection  & Certification Centre  in each  State/UT   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  1st  October,  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.
- xii. Published  rules for revision of standards  for Safety Belt, Restraint Systems and Safety Belt Reminder to provide provisions for applicability  of  revised  standards  for  safety  belt  assemblies,  safety belt  anchorages  and  the  installation  of  Safety  Belts  and  Restraint Systems, in Motor vehicles of category M,N and L7 w.e.f. 01st April, 2025. Further, the vehicles of category M1, manufactured on and after the 1st April 2025, shall meet the requirement of safety belt reminder for all front facing rear seats as per AIS-145-2018.

## (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.  Traffic  management and enforcement  is  essentially  in  the  domain  of  State  Governments/UT Administrations.  While  Union  Government  formulates  rules  under  the Motor Vehicle Act, 1988, the enforcement of these rules comes under the purview of State Governments/UT Administrations. The Government  has  specifically  requested  all  States/  UTs  for  strict implementation  of  provisions  of  Motor  Vehicles  Act,  1988  related  to overloading of vehicles.
- ii.         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  cities having a population of more than one million in the country and cities
3. under National Clean Air Programme (NCAP). iii.     On 10th June, 2024, the Government 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.   Published rules for the protection of Good Samaritan, who in good faith, voluntarily and without expectation of any reward or compensation  renders  emergency  medical  or  non-medical  care  or assistance at the scene of an accident to the victim or transports such victim to the hospital. ii.   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 corridors of National Highways. iv.  Government in Ministry of Road Transport and Highways along with National Health Authority (NHA), has implemented a pilot program for in

providing cashless treatment to victims of road accidents Chandigarh, Haryana, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Puducherry and Assam.

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