Nitin Gadkari,
Minister of Road Transport and Highways, Minister of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises
Among the provisions of the bill is an increase in fines for drunk driving - from Rs. 2,000 to Rs. 10,000.
The government also reserved the option to increase fines every year by up to 10 percent
Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari admitted in parliament yesterday that his department had struggled to reduce the number of road accidents in the past five years. Mr Gadkari was addressing the Lok Sabha on a bill to amend the Motor Vehicles Act of 1988. The proposed provisions include increased penalties for offences like driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
"It is sad that India is on top in the number of deaths due to road accidents," Mr Gadkari said while taking up the bill, adding, "Even after making full efforts from my side, deaths have only come down by three to four percent. I have failed in it, I accept it." According to data published by data. gov.in, nearly 4.7 lakh road accidents were recorded in 2017. The number has remained relatively constant over the past five years, with 2015 recording over five lakh accidents. The number of fatalities has risen -
from 1.37 lakh in 2013 to 1.48 lakh in 2017.
Mr Gadkari insisted that his new bill would address the issue, stressing on the fact that the original bill was more than 30 years old.
In his speech, Mr Gadkari highlighted inconsistencies in the way the act was currently implemented, pointing out that although new cars were required to be examined by the relevant Regional Transport Office before returning to the dealership to complete registration formalities, the reality was different.
"Aapko sabko pata hoga ki koi nayi gadi aaj kal rto office jaati nahin (All of you must know that these days no new car goes to the RTO office)," the minister said, as those around him chuckled.
He also made a strong pitch to fight corruption, pointing out that at least 30 per cent of driving licenses were fake, asking listening parliamentarians if they had actually sat through an RTO test before getting their licenses. Among the provisions of the bill is an increase in fines for drunk driving - from Rs. 2,000 to Rs.10,000. The government also reserved the option to increase fines every year by up to 10 per cent.
Mr Gadkari also said he intended to implement the Tamil Nadu model to bring down the number of road accidents; in 2018, the South Indian state recorded a 10-year low in the number of fatalities.
The bill had been originally moved, by Mr Gadkari, in 2016. It had included suggestions from state governments and a parliamentary panel but lapsed after the BJP-led
National Democratic Alliance (NDA) failed to push it past the Rajya Sabha, where it lacked numbers.
The BJP still lacks an outright majority in the Upper House. Opposition leaders criticised the bill and said it usurped the power of states to decide on road and highway infrastructure matters within their territories. They pointed to the bill granting the centre authority to set all RTO tax levels as an example; currently each state can set taxes at different levels.
As a signatory to the 2015 Brasilia Declaration, a global conference on road safety sponsored by the World Health Organisation, India has committed itself to reducing the number of road accidents and fatalities by 50 per cent by 2020.
"If You Want Good Services, You Have To Pay": Nitin Gadkari On Tolls
Amid concerns expressed by some members over collection of toll in different parts of the country, Nitin Gadkari said the money collected through toll from those areas which have capacity to pay are utilised for building roads in rural and hilly areas. Union minister Nitin Gadkari Tuesday said people have to pay toll if they want good roads, making it clear that the toll system would stay as the government does not have enough funds.
Replying to a discussion on demands for grants for the Road Transport and Highways ministry in the Lok Sabha, he said the government built 40,000 kilometres of highway in the last five years.
Amid concerns expressed by some members over collection of toll in different parts of the country, Mr Gadkari said the money collected through toll from those areas which have capacity to pay are utilised for building roads in rural and hilly areas. "Toll zindagi bhar band nahi ho sakta... kam zyaada ho sakta hai. Toll ka janamdata main hoon... (Toll system can never end though the rates may vary from time to time. Toll is my brain child)," Nitin Gadkari said. "If you want good services, you have to pay for it. Government does not have money...," he stressed. Underlining that land acquisition is a major problem in road construction projects, Mr Gadkari urged that state governments should come out with solutions and help find a way out.
The minister said his ministry was not moving forward with the project without 80 per cent of land acquisition and this principle is being followed very strictly.
Nitin Gadkari said land acquisition process is very slow in West Bengal and Bihar.
Noting that more than 400 projects worth 3.85 lakh crore were closed when he assumed charge of the ministry in 2014, Mr Gadkari said the Modi government saved NPAs worth 3 lakh crore during the past five years by beginning work on these projects.
"There were 403 projects pending when the Narendra Modi came to power involving a cost of 3,85,000 crore. It is a great achievement of Indian government that we saved bankers of Rs.3 lakh crore of NPAs and now 90 per cent of projects are moving fast," he said.