India To Roll Out Safety Ratings For Trucks And E-Rickshaws: Nitin Gadkari
The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways is preparing to launch safety ratings for trucks and commercial vehicles, similar to the Bharat NCAP system for passenger cars. Plans are also in place for assessing the safety of battery-powered e-rickshaws.
India To Roll Out Safety Ratings For Trucks And E-Rickshaws: Nitin Gadkari
Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari, while addressing a workshop, announced the government’s intention to introduce safety assessment ratings for trucks and heavy vehicles. The system will follow the Bharat New Car Assessment Programme (BNCAP), which currently applies to passenger vehicles.
The event, jointly organised by the Global New Car Assessment Programme (GNCAP) and the Institute for Road Traffic Education (IRTE), focused on vehicle and fleet safety in India.
E-Rickshaw Safety Standards Underway
The government is also working on setting safety standards for battery-operated e-rickshaws. The aim is to address ongoing safety concerns linked to these vehicles and improve manufacturing practices. Authorities believe these changes will also create more job opportunities in the sector.
Focus on Reducing Road Fatalities and Logistics Costs
Gadkari noted that India records around 4.8 lakh road accidents and 1.8 lakh fatalities annually. To address this, the government is prioritising improvements in road and vehicle safety. Efforts are also being made to reduce the country’s logistics costs from 14–16% to 9% in the coming years.
Measures for Truck Driver Welfare
The Ministry is developing legal measures to define working hours for truck drivers, who currently spend 13–14 hours on the road daily. Plans are also underway to set up 32 driving institutes to address the shortage of trained drivers. Air conditioning in driver cabins has been made mandatory, and Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) are also being implemented.
Road Safety in School Curriculum
The Ministry has introduced road safety education into the school curriculum for Classes 1 to 12. The curriculum will be rolled out in the current academic year. A road safety anthem has also been produced and will be translated into 22 Indian languages to support public awareness efforts.
David Ward, President, Emeritus, GNCAP speaking on the occasion said “ Consumers in India with most vehicle having GNCAP and BNCAP assessment ratings have better choice of safer vehicles. It is a good moment towards UN objective of road safety by 2030."
Workshop Reviews Global and Indian Safety Progress
Dr. Rohit Baluja, President of IRTE, stated that the two-day workshop would review developments in vehicle safety in India and internationally since 2000. The sessions include discussions on G20 actions, fleet safety and motorcycle safety, aiming to align with global safety plans through 2030 and beyond.
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