India No. 1 in road accidents, now is the time to change that: Nitin Gadkari

A number of reasons result in road accidents in India and the Motor Vehicle Amendment Bill 2019 seeks to address these.

File photo used only for representational purpose.

New Delhi: On a day when Rajya Sabha passed Motor Vehicle Amendment Bill 2019, Union Road Transport Minister said the time is now to change the country's deplorable statistics pertaining to road accidents and mishaps.

After a detailed discussion in the Upper House of Parliament, the Bill was passed which essentially paves the way for higher fines for traffic violations, standards for motor vehicles, compensation for victims of road accidents, recall of faulty vehicles, among others. And Gadkari was pleased that the Bill was passed, stating that the time had come for big changes on Indian roads. " Five lakh accidents happen in our country which cause 1.5 lakh deaths, every year. We are number one in accidents in the world. Now we've got the chance to correct this," he said. "This is not only a Motor Vehicle Act, but also a road safety bill. I believe it'll cause a decline in accidents. The passing of this bill is a tribute to those who lost their lives in accidents."

Indian roads are infamous for being death traps with some of the highest statistics of mishaps. A number of reasons result in road accidents and the Motor Vehicle Amendment Bill 2019 seeks to address these. Gadkari has been at the forefront in getting the Bill passed and believes it is a step in the right direction towards making Indian roads safer.