Lok Sabha Question No. 3127 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-12-21
Subject: Funds for Road Safety
Ministry: ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS
Asked by: Pocha Brahmananda Reddy

## be pleased to state:

- (a) the details of the funds allocated and spent towards road safety during the last five years;
- (b) whether  the  Government  has  implemented  any  comprehensive policy to improve road safety in the country;
- (c) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;
- (d) whether  the  Government  proposes  to  amend  road  laws  and regulations for improving road safety; and
- (e) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

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

- (a)      Road Safety is an integral and indispensable component of every National Highways Project. Road Safety initiatives on National Highways commence with the inception of Detail 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.

Besides, Ministry also implements scheme for creation of awareness & publicity among  road  users and to provide financial support to Department of Transports of States/UTs for setting up of Model Driving Training Institutes/Centres, setting up of Model Inspection & Certification Centres, improving and Strengthening of Public Transport System  etc.  The  details  of  funds  released  by  the  Ministry  for  these initiatives during the last five Financial Years are as under: -

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3127 ANSWERED ON 21 ST  DECEMBER, 2023

## FUNDS FOR ROAD SAFETY

3127. SHRI POCHA BRAHMANANDA REDDY:

## Will the Minister of ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS

सड़क परिवहन औि िाजमार्ग मंत्री

*Rs.40.00 crore at RE Stage

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|   Sl. No. | Activity/ P rogramme                                                                                                                                                | BE FY 2018 -19   |   Expen diture in FY 2018-1 9 | BE FY 201 9-20   |   Expen diture in FY 2019- 20 | BE FY 202 0-21   |   Expen diture in FY 2020-2 1 | BE FY 2021- 22   |   Expe nditur e i n FY 2021 -22 | (Rs in BE FY 2022 -23   |   Crores) Expe nditur e i n FY 2022- 23 |
|-----------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------|-------------------------------|------------------|-------------------------------|------------------|-------------------------------|------------------|---------------------------------|-------------------------|-----------------------------------------|
|         1 | Road Safet y publicity measures and aware ness camp aigns, NHA RSS, refres her Trainin g of Driver s in Unorga nised Sect or and Hu man Resou rce Develo pment, etc | 185.0 0          |                         91.08 | 130. 0           |                         46.26 | 171. 0           |                         65.94 | 109.0 0          |                           41.48 | 189.5 0                 |                                   68.67 |
|         2 | Inspection and Certifi cation Cen tres (Reve nue)                                                                                                                   | 20.00            |                         19.97 | 22.0             |                         15.08 | 29.0             |                         16.2  | 29.00            |                           14.15 | 33                      |                                   14.6  |
|         3 | Improving and Streng thening of Public Tra nsport Sys tem                                                                                                           | 30.00            |                          0.29 | 89.0             |                          1.4  | 89.0             |                         30.6  | 103.0 0          |                           10.8  | 15.00 *                 |                                   30.33 |

(b) and (c) 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.

(d)  and  (e)  The  Motor  Vehicle  (Amendment)  Act,  2019  passed  by Parliament focuses on road safety and includes, inter-alia, revision in penalties for traffic violations, electronic monitoring and enforcement of road  safety,  enhanced  penalties  for  juvenile  driving,  automation  of vehicle fitness, recall of defective vehicles, streamlining the third party insurance and payment of increased compensation for hit and run cases, responsibility to comply with standards for road design, construction and maintenance etc. The Amendment has strengthened the Law to improve the road Safety scenario.

ANNEXURE  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PART  (b)  and  (c) OF  LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3127 ANSWERED ON 21 ST  DECEMBER, 2023 ASKED BY SHRI POCHA BRAHMANANDA REDDY REGARDING FUNDS FOR 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)
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 under the Ministry to look after RSA and other road safety related works.
- iv.       Ministry  administers  the  electronic  Detailed  Accident  Report  (eDAR) 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 by incorporating best practices and International standards to offer improved visibility and intuitive guidance to the drivers.
- vi.  Provisions  have  been  made  in  the  Motor  Vehicles  Act,  1988  for responsibility  of  any  designated  authority,  contractor,  consultant  or concessionaire  for  the  design  or  construction  or  maintenance  of  the safety standards of the road, as prescribed 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.
- vii.     Formulated the Vehicle Scrapping Policy based on incentives/disincentives  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.

## (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.

## (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 non-medical 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.

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