The Centre plans to set up a national authority for road safety and regulation of motor vehicles. The proposed body will have powers to recall motor vehicles in case of any deviation from norms. The authority, Motor Vehicle Regulation and Road Safety Authority of India, will be an independent agency with four-eight members.

The draft Road Transport and Safety Bill, 2014, proposes penalties of up to Rs 3 lakh, along with imprisonment of at least seven years, for death of a child under certain circumstances.

In case at least 100 people report a defect in a particular model of a vehicle to the authority or the model does not comply with the provisions and standards prescribed under the Act, it will be recalled. Manufacturers whose vehicles are subject to a recall order will have to compensate buyers for the full value of the vehicle or replace or repair the defective vehicle with another vehicle of similar or better specifications. The procedure for recall will be laid out by regulations by the Centre.

For faulty manufacturing design, a fine of Rs 5 lakh a vehicle, along with imprisonment, has been proposed.

The road safety authority will also monitor the enforcement of fuel efficiency norms. In consultation with the Bureau of Energy Efficiency, it will issue regulations for necessary improvements in engine efficiency. It might also regulate, recommend and monitor issues related to the manufacture, maintenance, registration, licensing and working of drivers, maintenance and standards of road safety, control of traffic, public-private partnership schemes and promotion of new technologies.

A procedure, as well as a penalty points system, under which fines will be imposed has also been suggested.

For rash and negligent driving, licences will be cancelled.

A penalty of up to Rs 1 lakh or imprisonment for six months, which might be extended to a year, or both will be imposed if vehicle in unsafe conditions are used. In case of drunk driving, a first-time offender will face a fine of Rs 25,000 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding three months, or both, as well as a six-month licence suspension. A second offence within three years will result in a fine of Rs 50,000 or imprisonment for up to a year or both, as well as licence suspension for a year. “Any subsequent offence shall result in the cancellation of the licence and impounding of the vehicle, which may extend for 30 days,” the draft Bill says.

If school bus drivers are caught driving drunk, a fine of Rs 50,000 will be imposed, with imprisonment for three years. Violation of traffic signals thrice will lead to a fine of Rs 15,000, licence cancellation for a month and compulsory refresher training.

The draft Bill has been put on the website of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways for comment by stakeholders and the public. The Bill is aimed at reducing fatalities resulting from road accidents by 200,000 in the first five years.

It is expected increased efficiency and road transport safety will boost growth in gross domestic product by four per cent and create a million jobs in the sector, according to the ministry.

India reports about 500,000 road accidents a year, with a death toll of about 140,000.

On the draft Bill, Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari tweeted, “Providing safe, efficient, cost-effective and faster transport across the country is our mission. Our new Bill gives emphasis on e-governance to bring in transparency in the transport sector. Our new ‘golden hour’ policy will provide immediate relief to accident victims and help save lakhs of lives.”



The golden-hour policy provides for treatment to road accident victims within an hour of the accident.

Gadkari said the government expected to introduce the Bill in the Winter Session of Parliament. The Bill has been drafted in sync with the best practices of six advanced countries---the US, the UK, Canada, Singapore, Japan and Germany.