Parliament Question: National Road Safety Strategy and Action Plan

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 809 ANSWERED ON 23RD JULY, 2026 NATIONAL ROAD SAFETY STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN 809. DR. HEMANG JOSHI: SHRI VIJAY BAGHEL: SHRI RAMESH AWASTHI: SHRI ALOK SHARMA: SHRI RAJKUMAR CHAHAR: SMT. ANITA NAGARSINGH CHOUHAN: Will the Minister of ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS सड़क परिवहन औि िाजमार् ग मत्रं ी be pleased to state: (a) whether the Government has reviewed the implementation of the National Road Safety Strategy and Action Plan during the year 2026 and if so, the details thereof, State-wise and particularly district- wise for Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh; (b) the details of the findings of the said review along with the major road safety related issues identified in the said areas; (c) whether financial assistance has been released for the rectification of identified black spots, development of road safety infrastructure, accident mitigation works and other road safety measures during the last two years, if so, the details thereof along with the sanctioned projects with their names and current status, State/UT-wise, year-wise and particularly district-wise for Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh; and (d) the details of the procedure being followed for repair of isolated black spots along with the details, thereof? ANSWER THE MINISTER OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS (SHRI NITIN JAIRAM GADKARI)(a) and (b) Government has formulated a multi-pronged strategy to address the issue of road safety based on 4E's i.e. Education, Engineering (both of roads and vehicles), Enforcement and Emergency Care. Accordingly, various initiatives have been taken for road safety in the country as detailed at Annexure. (c) No separate allocation of funds is made for rectification works on road accident black spots which are executed either as part of on-going National Highways development works or on standalone basis out of general budgetary outlays. However, details of funds allocated and expenditure incurred during the last two years for development and maintenance of National Highways, in the State of Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, including rectification of road accident black spots are as under: Madhya Pradesh: Year Allocation (₹ in Crore) Expenditure (₹ in Crore) 2024-25 7819 7799 2025-26 10697 10,519 2026-27 2604 2193 (till 30.06.2026) Chhattisgarh: Year Allocation (₹ in Crore) Expenditure (₹ in Crore) 2024-25 2392 2280 2025-26 3705 3682 2026-27 1035 684 (till 30.06.2026) In so far as roads and highways under the State Government or it's subordinate entities or local Governments are concerned, rectification of black spots on such roads including financial provisions, fall within the responsibility of the concerned State Government. (d) Short-term measures for immediate rectification of Black corridors include road markings, signages, crash barriers, road studs, delineators, closure of unauthorized median openings, traffic calming measures, etc. Long-term measures like improvement of road geometrics, junction improvements, spot widening of carriageway, construction of underpasses/overpasses, etc. are also taken as permanent rectification measures of black corridors as per site requirement. Long term rectification works involve pre-construction activities such as land acquisition, forest clearance & utility shifting which takes significant time.Annexure ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (a) and (b) OF LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 809 ANSWERED ON 23RD JULY, 2026 ASKED BY DR. HEMANG JOSHI AND OTHERS REGARDING NATIONAL ROAD SAFETY STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN. Details of various initiatives taken by the Government in Ministry of Road Transport and Highways for road safety: - (1) Education: i. Administered the scheme for setting up of Institutes of Driving Training & Research (IDTRs), Regional Driving Training Centres (RDTCs) and Driving Training Centres (DTCs) at State/district level across the Country. Recently revised scheme guidelines have been issued, incorporating enhanced financial assistance and streamlined eligibility criteria for establishing Driving Training Institutes. Additionally, incentives have been introduced for setting up Automated Testing Stations (ATS) in conjunction with Driving Training Institutes (DTIs) under the Training-Testing Cluster approach. ii. Administered Road Safety Advocacy Scheme for raising awareness about road safety and for administering road safety programs. iii. Observance of National Road Safety Month every year for spreading awareness and strengthening road safety. (2) Engineering: 2.1. Road engineering: i. Road Safety Audit (RSA) of all National Highways (NHs) has been made mandatory through third party auditors/ experts at all stages i.e. design, construction, operation and maintenance etc. ii. High priority is accorded to identification and rectification of black spots /accident spots on NHs. iii. Road Safety Officer (RSO) has been designated at each Regional Office of road owning agencies to look after RSA and other road safety related works. iv. Administers the electronic Detailed Accident Report (e-DAR) Project to establish a central repository for reporting, management and analysis of road accidents data across the Country.v. Issued guidelines for the provision of signages on Expressways and National Highways to offer improved visibility and intuitive guidance to the drivers. vi. Provisions have been made in the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 for failure to comply with standards for the road design, construction and maintenance, as prescribed by the Central Government from time to time. 2.2 Vehicle engineering: Various initiatives were undertaken to make vehicles safer, including the following:- i. Mandatory provision of an airbag for the passenger seated on the front seat of a vehicle, next to the driver. ii. Prescribed norms related to safety measures for children below four years of age, riding or being carried on a motor cycle. It also specifies use of a safety harness, crash helmet and restricts speed to 40kmph. iii. Mandatory provisions for fitment of following listed safety technologies: - For M1 category vehicles: a. Seat Belt Reminder (SBR) for driver and co-driver. b. Manual Override for central locking system c. Over speed warning system. For all M and N category vehicles: a. Reverse Parking Alert System iv. Mandated Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS) for certain classes of L [Motor vehicle with less than four wheels and includes a Quadricycle], M [Motor vehicles with at least four wheels used for carrying passengers] and N [Motor vehicles with at least four wheels used for carrying goods which may also carry persons in addition to goods, subject to conditions stipulated in BIS standards] categories. v. Mandated speed limiting function/speed limiting device in all transport vehicles, except for two wheelers, three wheelers, quadricycles, fire tenders, ambulances and police vehicles. vi. Published the rules for recognition, regulation and control of Automated Testing Stations, which define the procedure for fitness testing of vehicles through automated equipment and the procedure for grant of fitness certificate by ATSs. The rules have been further amended on 31.10.2022 and 14.03.2024. vii. Formulated the Vehicle Scrapping Policy based on incentives/dis-incentives and for creating an ecosystem to phase out old, unfit and polluting vehicles.viii. Formulated a Scheme to set up one model Inspection & Certification Centre in each State/UT with Central assistance for testing the fitness of vehicles through an automated system. ix. Published rules regarding the Bharat New Car Assessment Program (BNCAP) to introduce the concept of safety rating of passenger cars and empower consumers to take informed decisions. x. Published rules regarding prescribed level playing field in the area of manufacturing of buses by Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) and Bus Body Builders. xi. Mandated vehicles, manufactured on or after 1st October, 2025, shall be fitted with an air-conditioning system for the cabin of vehicles of N2 (goods vehicle with gross vehicle weight exceeding 3.5 tonnes but not exceeding 12.0 tonnes) and N3 (goods vehicle with gross vehicle weight exceeding 12.0 tonnes) category. xii. Published rules for revision of standards for Safety Belt, Restraint Systems and Safety Belt Reminder to provide provisions for applicability of revised standards for safety belt assemblies, safety belt anchorages and the installation of Safety Belts and Restraint Systems, in Motor vehicles of category M,N and L7 w.e.f. 01st April, 2025. Further, the vehicles of category M1, manufactured on and after the 1st April 2025, shall meet the requirement of safety belt reminder for all front facing rear seats as per AIS-145-2018. xiii. Published rules for Active safety features in Medium and Heavy Duty vehicles, which provide for Braking System including Anti-lock Braking, Endurance Braking System for M2, M3, N1, N2, N3 and Quadricycle (effective for new models from 1st January, 2027 and for existing models from 1st October, 2027), and Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) including Vehicle Stability Function (VSF), Lane Departure Warning System (LDWS), Driver Drowsiness and Attention Warning Systems, Blind Spot Information Systems and Moving off Information Systems for M2, M3, N2 and N3 categories of vehicles (effective for new models from 1st October, 2027 and for existing models from 1st January, 2028). xiv. Published rule for Acoustic Vehicle Alerting System (AVAS) meeting AIS-173 audibility standards has been mandated for electric vehicles. The requirement applies to new vehicle models manufactured on or after 1st October 2026 and existing vehicle models manufactured on or after 1st October 2027. Since electric vehicles operate almost silently at low speeds, AVAS generates an audible warning sound to alert pedestrians, cyclists, and especially visually impaired persons of an approaching vehicle, thereby enhancing road safety.(3) Enforcement: i. The Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act, 2019 as stands implemented provides for strict penalties for ensuring compliance and enhancing deterrence for violation of traffic rules and strict enforcement through use of technology. Traffic management and enforcement is essentially in the domain of State Governments/UT Administrations. While Central Government formulates rules under the Motor Vehicle Act, 1988, the enforcement of these rules comes under the purview of State Governments/UT Administrations. ii. Issued rules for Electronic Monitoring and Enforcement of Road Safety. The rules specify the detailed provisions for placement of electronic enforcement devices on high risk & high density corridors on National Highways, State Highways and critical junctions cities having a population of more than one million in the country and cities under National Clean Air Programme (NCAP). iii. The Central Government, vide Notification dated 20.01.2026, has amended Rules 167 and 167A of the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989 to establish a transparent, technology-driven and time- bound e-Challan framework for issuance, payment and redressal of traffic challans. The amendments also provide for online challenge of challans, automated notifications and stronger enforcement measures to improve compliance and road safety. iv. Government has notified the National Road Safety Board Rules, 2025 and in accordance with the provisions of the said Rules, the National Road Safety Board has been constituted and notified vide S.O. 3505(E) dated 29.06.2026. v. The Central Government has formulated the Guidelines on Constitution and Utilization of the State Road Safety Fund (SRSF) and Funding to District Road Safety Committees (DRSCs) 2025 to ensure sustained financing and accountable implementation of road safety measures through the establishment of a non-lapsable State Road Safety Fund and by empowering District Road Safety Committees to undertake targeted road safety interventions at the grassroots level. vi. On 10th June, 2024, the Government has issued an advisory to all the States and Union territories on technological interventions for ensuring compliance with Motor Vehicle Act, 1988. vii. The Government has issued guidelines under the 'Programme for Accelerated Renewal and Incentivization of Vehicle Assets for Reducing Transport Air Pollution and Network Emissions (PARIVARTAN Scheme)' on 14.07.2026 to accelerate thereplacement of old, polluting vehicles with cleaner and safer alternatives in Delhi-NCR. The scheme promotes vehicle scrapping and adoption of environmentally friendly vehicles, contributing to improved road safety, reduced emissions, and sustainable mobility. (4) Emergency care: i. Revised the scheme guidelines (named as Rah-Veer) for the protection of Good Samaritan, who in good faith, voluntarily and without expectation of any reward or compensation renders emergency medical or non-medical care or assistance at the scene of an accident to the victim or transports such victim to the hospital. As per the scheme, the reward for Rah-Veer has been increased to Rs. 25,000/- from Rs. 5,000/-. ii. Enhanced compensation of victims of Hit and Run motor accidents (from Rs. 12,500 to Rs. 50,000 for grievous hurt and from Rs. 25,000 to Rs.2,00,000 for death). iii. The National Highways Authority of India has made provisions for ambulances with paramedical staff/Emergency Medical Technician/Nurse at toll plazas on the completed corridors of National Highways. iv. Government has notified the 'Prime Minister – Road Accident Victims' Hospitalisation and Assured Treatment (PM-Rahat) Scheme' (Cashless Treatment of Road Accident Victims Scheme, 2025) on 5th May 2025. Subsequently, detailed operational guidelines, including the process flow, stakeholder-wise Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), and clearly defined roles and responsibilities, were notified on 4th June 2025 to facilitate its effective implementation. *****