india

Updated: Dec 30, 2018 06:54 IST

Road safety experts and members of opposition in Parliament have called for early enactment of the Motor Vehicle Amendment Bill, 2017 fearing it may lapse if not passed in the current session of the Rajya Sabha.

The amended Motor Vehicle Bill aims to usher reforms in the transport sector and would amend the Motor Vehicle Act, 1988. It was passed by the Lok Sabha in 2017 and has been pending Rajya Sabha approval. The bill, referred to a 24-member Select Committee, is yet to get the Upper House nod.

“Given that Indian roads witness over 500,000 road accidents each year resulting in about 147,000 fatalities, the Motor Vehicles Amendment Bill is an important step towards strengthening the legal framework for improving road safety in India. We urge the parliamentarians to pass the bill in the current session... The passage of Bill will help close major gaps in the legislative framework that governs road safety in the country,” said KK Kapila, Chairman, International Road Federation (IRF), a global body working for better and safer roads worldwide, speaking at ‘ Road Safety legislation an multi-sectoral Action’ organised jointly by World Health Organisation, NITI Aayog, ministry of road transport & highways and ministry of health & family welfare.

HT had, on December 14, reported that the Centre may not amend opposing clauses in the bill in the Upper House.

“ ...We had proposed to the transport ministry to table a separate bill for road safety however that could not be implemented. There are still many clauses in the bill that do not address road safety issues and if the bill lapses we may propose a road safety bill again,” said Piyush Tewari, CEO, Save Life Foundation.

India is a signatory to the United Nation’s Brasilia Declaration with the target of reducing road fatalities by 50% by 2020.

“We are all for early passage and enactment of the amended bill...but the Rajya Sabha is not being allowed to function...,” said Majeed Memon, National Congress Party MP.