Bill on road safety in Budget session: Nath

Road Transport and Highways Minister Kamal Nath today said his ministry will introduce a Bill to ensure road safety in the forthcoming Budget session.

The National Road Safety and Traffic Management Bill will, among other things, lay down standards to ensure road safety, Nath said told a meeting of the Bangalore Chamber of Industry and Commerce here today.

Nath said his ministry also proposes to constitute a National Road Safety and Traffic Management Board, as the country has one of the worst road safety records in the world. "We must look at road safety in a holistic manner" as it involves regulations, laws, enforcement, and the police, the minister said.

Highlighting the link between infrastructure and overall growths, he said, "Without addressing infrastructure deficit we cannot possibly sustain growth of 8-9 per cent."

He said the government had set targets, which it was confident of completing. "We are on track, though of course there are glitches."

Elaborating on some of hurdles, he said no bids had been received for road development in some backward regions. "We have not received a single bid for backward areas in Orissa."

He said efforts would have made to develop ways to attract bids to build road infrastructure in these regions.

In reply to concerns raised over bad quality national highways, he said efforts are on to invite bids for operation, management and toll, including maintenance for the roads being built or recently built. "There has been a huge interest in this," he said.