(This story originally appeared in on Jan 01, 2015)

NEW DELHI: Passing minimum frontal and side crash tests will be mandatory for all new cars from October 2017 while for new vehicles of existing models the deadline will be October 2019.The fresh timelines will be notified soon by the road transport ministry . TOI has learnt that the revised timelines were finalized a few weeks back at a high level meeting. While the frontal crash tests will be at 56 kmph, the norms set for side crash tests will be 50 kmph. Both the standards will meet the international test norms that make the vehicles safer for occupants.Sources said that to pass these tests, the cars need to have airbags and other necessary safety features such as child restraints. "We are not asking them what should be fitted. But these must qualify during the crash tests to save occupants," said an official.Road transport minister Nitin Gadkari on Tuesday said that every car, even small and cheaper models, should have minimum safety features.However, before the mandatory norms kick in, it will be voluntary for the car manufacturers to adopt these norms to showcase the safety aspects. Sources said facilities for carrying out tests by placing dummies in the front and rear seats would be ready by the end of 2015 and the government wants to give enough time to the manufacturers.Considering the fact that the test facilities within the country may be inadequate to meet the demand, the ministry will allow testing of new models at facilities outside India. However, to assess whether the new vehicles actually comply with the declared norms, an administrative body under the ministry will buy select vehicles and pay for the test.The ministry will also notify the Bharat New Vehicle Safety Assessment Programme ( BNVSAP ) on the lines on New Car Assessment Programme (NCAP) in other countries. Under this programme, car manufacturers can go for star rating based on the cars having better safety features. They can apply for such ratings as is the practice in developed countries.Most of the car manufacturers have claimed that installation of features such as airbags, anti-lock braking system (ABS), electronic brake distribution, electronic stability control, seat belt reminder and child lock functionality check would push the car price by 30%. But Gadkari has said there can be no compromise on "mandatory safety features" in a country where over 1.4 lakh lives are lost in nearly five lakh road crashes every year.Though there is no clear study or data to suggest how many car occupants die in crashes in India, initiatives for safer vehicles have gained momentum across the world after the United Nations asked all countries to follow vehicle safety norms.