Rocky road ahead for Motor Vehicles Bill

While the proposed amendments to the Act call for a more active role on the part of the states, the Centre has little say in how the law is implemented

It would not be incorrect to say that the government is committed to road safety, but will it manage to bring the states on board to achieve this mammoth task? The Centre, through the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill, 2016, plans to bring in stricter road safety laws, but the actual implementation of the new rules would lie with the states, and that is where the challenge lies.

The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has clearly spelt out the rationale behind overhauling the Motor Vehicles Act; the primary reason is road safety.

However, while the Motor Vehicles Act is a