Revised global-standard road safety rules soon: Gadkari

Towards overhauling road safety-control following the fatal car accident of BJP leader Gopinath Munde, the government Thursday vowed to bring in new legislation upgrading road safety norms in-line with global standards.

Briefing reporters after a meeting with officials to review road safety standards, Roads Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari said: "An umbrella act is proposed to be prepared in about a month's time incorporating various central Rules and laws, like the Motor Vehicles Act 1988, Central Motor Vehicle Rules 1989, Carriage by Road Act and Rules".

"Such a bill will take into consideration the latest international standards after a study by officials of the ministry, and they have been asked to undertake a study on the issue on a war-footing", he added.

Gadkari said the revised central motor vehicles rules will be ready in a month to be put up to the cabinet, before its presentation in parliament.

An element of fear has also to be brought in for traffic violations, while no one should be spared for violating road rules whatever their status or rank in society, the minister said.

He said a meeting of the National Road Safety Council, where allstate governments are to be the participants, will be convened in about a month's time to discuss all related issues.

Pointing out over half a million people are injured and about 140,000 die in the country every year in about 500,000 accidents, Gadkari said through adoption of information technologies, measures will be taken to prevent people taking multiple driving licenses. Furthur, system should be developed to confiscate the driving licenses of violators of road safety rules and it should be made difficult for them to obtain a driving license again, he added.

At the meeting, it was also proposed that a National Road Safety Board be constituted with professionals in various areas of road safety on such a Board, a ministry of road transport and highways statement here said.