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Aiming to bring India's motor vehicle and road safety to international standards, the government is all set to introduce two bills in the Budget Session of Parliament in this regard.
While one bill aims at aligning India's motor vehicle standards with countries like Japan, the other proposes to set up a Board for overlooking the road safety mechanisms in the country.
"We are doing the necessary work for the introduction of the National Road Safety and Traffic Management Board Bill and Motor Vehicles Bill in the upcoming Budget Session of the Parliament," a Road Ministry official said.
On being asked about the need for introducing the Motor Vehicles, the official said, "Traffic and mode of transportation has increased but we are continuing with the same Act of 1988. We want to align the existing Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 with the similar laws applicable in other advanced Asian countries such as China and Japan."
The Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 is the principal Act for regulating vehicular traffic on roads. A Bill to incorporate certain amendments in the Act was introduced in Rajya Sabha in May, 2007 which was referred to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Transport, Tourism and Culture for examination.
The Committee made substantial recommendations on this Bill in April, 2008.
In order to review the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, a Committee under the Chairmanship of S Sundar,Former Secretary, Ministry of Shipping and Transport. The Committee has finalised its recommendations and are expected to be presented to the Ministry by next week.
Another Committee of Experts under the chairmanship of S Sundar was set up to deliberate and make recommendations on 'Creation of a dedicated body on Road Safety and Traffic Management' in November, 2005.
The Committee submitted its report in February, 2007 recommending creation of a National Road Safety and Traffic Management Board through an Act of Parliament.
The government had introduced a Bill in Lok Sabha in May, 2010 to create a National Road Safety and Traffic Management Board to oversee the road safety activities in the country, which was referred to the Department related Parliamentary Standing Committee for examination.
The Parliamentary Committee submitted its report in July, 2010. Its recommendations have been examined and the Road Ministry is in the process of carrying out certain amendments in the Bill for consideration by the Parliament.
The Committee had suggested that the Board should be entrusted with the functions of recommending minimum standards for design, construction and maintenance of National Highways, to recommend safety standards for motor vehicles, to conduct road safety audits on National Highways, to promote best practices in road safety etc.
