India is committed to improve safety, efficiency and sustainability in the transport sector and is striving to reduce road accidents by 50 per cent till 2020, Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari has said.
Addressing the global conference on traffic safety in Brasilia, Gadkari said India fully endorses the "Safe System Approach" being advocated by the United Nations and is making concerted efforts to achieve the goals set under the UN Decade of Action to reduce accidents by 50 per cent till 2020.
"We are collaborating with International Road Federation (IRF), WHO and World Bank who are assisting by way of strengthening the capabilities of various institutions, enhancing awareness, improving engineering designs for safer roads, improved trauma care and host of related activities," he was quoted as saying by an official statement issued here.
The Minister said, "It makes me sad to think that the number of persons killed in road accidents in India is the highest in the world; over 1.38 lakh people were killed in around 4.9 lakh road accidents reported in 2014."
He added that the road transport sector has played a major role in driving the rising Indian economy during the last few decades but with over 200 million vehicles on India's roads and vehicle registration witnessing a rapid increase at the rate of 10 per cent annually, the country is faced with serious impacts on road safety levels.
He said based on the five pillars of road safety, a variety of approaches are being used to tackle the causes, including improvement of institutional and statutory framework, infrastructure and vehicles, enforcement of traffic regulations and emergency care.
"On taking charge as Minister, I have therefore, asked for the complete replacement of the Motor Vehicle Act, 1988, with a legislation, which comprehensively promotes safety on the road, especially, of the more vulnerable road users, while at the same time, it promotes the development of an efficient, seamless and integrated multi-mode public transport system," Gadkari said.
The Bill envisages creation of a National Road Safety and Traffic Management Authority as the lead agency for vehicle regulation and road safety.
The proposed Bill also envisages the modernisation of road transport infrastructure in India. It aims to improve the quality of vehicles on the roads, especially with regard to safety and emissions.
It seeks to usher in a regime, of computerised, corruption free and transparent transport authorities, both at national and state levels, to remove obstacles and inconvenience in obtaining driving licence, registration, payment of taxes, permits etc.
He said the government is also looking at improving urban planning and transport system for developing cities which are greener and safer and these cities will be looking at a more integrated urban environment which reduces travel needs. This is expected to reduce fossil energy requirements and also the exposure to travel risks.
Gadkari said government alone cannot ensure the
achievement of a safe transport system and cooperation of all stakeholders, including the corporate sector and the citizens at large, is required.
"We are working towards making road safety a social movement. Issues related to road safety have also been included in the school curriculum.
"Road safety has also been included as an activity that can be taken up under the corporate social responsibility. To encourage investment in activities for improving road safety, the government has announced concessions in income tax also," he said.
He added that entire South Asian region has a unique issue to deal with - a large proportion of fatalities and injuries amongst two-wheeler riders.
"While India has 72 per cent two wheelers, Vietnam has a maximum of 95 per cent share of two wheelers in the motor vehicle population. The proportion of fatalities related to two wheelers range from 21 per cent to 79 per cent," he said.
Stressing the need for a coordinated and concerted effort at global level, the Minister said it is imperative that countries which have gained experience in road safety management, share their experience with the countries facing these issues now and help them eradicate the scourge of road crashes and related aftermath.
"Let us rededicate ourselves today and renew our efforts to reduce mortality and morbidity in road crashes. I, therefore, earnestly appeal to you all to join hands in the effort to make the world safer and to develop sustainable road transport systems across the developing and developed economies of the world," he said.
