Buses to meet international standards from 2025: Nitin Gadkari

Aug 28, 2024

New Ambulance Code on the anvil.

 

 

NEW DELHI, 28 August 2024: At the FICCI Road Safety Awards and Conclave 2024, Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Shri Nitin Gadkari, announced significant measures to enhance road safety in India.

 

Minister Gadkari noted that from 2025, only buses meeting international safety standards will be permitted. This decision addresses the current practice of manufacturing buses using rudimentary methods, often involving hammers, wooden planks, and aluminium sheets. The transition aims to improve the safety standards of public transportation significantly.

 

The minister also revealed plans for a new 'ambulance code' to improve emergency response services. The new 'ambulance code' will mandate that ambulances be equipped with cutting tools essential for extracting accident victims from vehicles. Currently, ambulances often lack these tools, leading to delays of up to three hours in rescuing trapped victims. The Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) have been consulted to determine the necessary equipment, and paramedics will receive training in their use.

 

Minister Gadkari outlined changes to the driver licensing process, introducing a digital theory test with objective questions. He averred that the results from these tests and practical driving assessments will be directly uploaded to a government server, aiming to enhance transparency and reduce manipulation in the licensing system. 

 

In addition, the minister also proposed a collaboration where industries would sponsor engineering colleges and IITs to conduct road safety audits. These audits would occur in two stages: after the Detailed Project Report (DPR) is prepared but before construction begins, and after the road is built. This approach seeks to identify and rectify design flaws that contribute to accidents.

 

These initiatives form part of a broader strategy to address India's road safety crisis, which currently results in over 150,000 annual fatalities and a 3% loss to GDP. The reforms particularly target the 18-34 age group, which accounts for 65% of road accident victims.

 

In his welcome address, Mr Subhrakant Panda, Immediate Past President, FICCI and Managing Director, Indian Metals & Ferro Alloys, alluded to the Three C's of road safety—citizens, communities, and corporates—and aligning with government strategies as an effective way to approach road safety. 

 

Delivering the Industry Perspective on road safety, Mr Satish Parakh, Co-Lead, FICCI Working Group on Roads & Highways and Managing Director, Ashoka Buildcon, underlined that despite having one of the world's largest road networks, India faces significant challenges with road accidents. However, the infrastructure sector is responding by integrating safety into design, employing advanced engineering techniques, and utilising technologies such as intelligent traffic management sensors, he noted, adding that his company has conducted over 950 safety seminars across India.

 

Mr Ramashankar Pandey, Chairman, FICCI Sub-Committee on Road Safety & Social Defence Fellow, Indian Administrative Fellowship by NUDGE & NISD, delivered the Vote of Thanks.

 

On occasion, the Minister launched the FICCI-CRISIL Knowledge Report on Transforming India’s Road Safety Scenario: Driving Change Through Innovative Solutions, and a Compendium on Leading Best Practices in Road Safety in India. Reports attached.

 

The Minister also felicitated the winners of the FICCI Road Safety Awards. The list of Winners is attached.

 _________________________________________