INRnews - Indian Real Estate News

Stating that improved roads reduce vehicle operating cost, pollution and road accidents, the Minister said that the Government has undertaken the largest ever road upgradation programme under the National Highway Development Project (NHDP) at an estimated cost of Rs.2,20,000 crores over a period of next 7 years, i.e., 2005-2012. He informed that as on 31st August 2006, about 6,688 kms have been 4-laned consisting of 5,420 kms of Golden Quadrilateral and 840 kms of the North-South and East-West Corridors and remaining under port connectivity and other National Highways.

Referring to the concerns voiced by the automobile dealers about issues relating to registration and re-registration of Motor Vehicles in the country, he assured that the Ministry of Road Transport would examine them carefully before taking a decision in this regard. In this context, he further said that in order to deal with the issues relating to efficient registration procedure of vehicles, the Ministry has already taken initiative to provide software for computerisation of all Regional Transport Offices (RTOs) in the country. He said that the State Governments are also required to take steps not only to computerise the RTOs but also put all records on computer. This would facilitate uniformity of the records throughout the country and ultimately facilitate transfer of vehicles in an expeditious manner, he added. “Though State Governments are working in this direction, I have learnt that the progress made so far is not very encouraging” the Minister observed.

Referring to the safety aspects, the Minister said that induction of new generation and high-speed vehicles is not enough and called upon the Automobile Industry to provide maximum safety features in motor vehicles such as air bags, anti-collision devices, fatigue-alarms, etc. He said that efforts should be made to modernise the vehicle by installation of equipments to track vehicle by GPS technology and introduce effective anti-lock breaking system. Emphasising that we shall have to ensure safety of our drivers and other road users, he informed that over 92,000 persons were killed in more than four lakh reported accidents in 2004 involving huge social cost estimated at 2 to 3 per cent of GDP.

Referring to the advertising campaigns run by automobile industry, he voiced his concern that some of these advertisements show over speeding as a virtue. Since the cause road accident is over-speeding of vehicles, he said that it would be of great help to the nation, if advertisements do not glamourise over-speeding, and rather emphasise on safety norms like two-wheeler riders are shown wearing helmets and car riders are shown wearing seat belts which will spread road safety message and bring reduction in accidents and fatalities.