New Delhi: The Road Safety and Management
Board Bill may not be introduced in the winter session of the
Parliament, as the necessary amendments suggested by the
Standing Committee on Transport are yet to be incorporated.
Road Safety and Management Board Bill, which aims to
facilitate setting up an independent body to put in place
safety provisions for National Highways (NH) and improved
safety standards in road designs was introduced in Lok Sabha
in May and was withdrawn on the recommendations of the
Parliamentary panel.
The panel said that the proposed board is limited to
safety concerns on the National Highways. NH constitutes only
two per cent of the country`s total road network, and nearly
70 per cent accidents occur on other roads.
Certain amendments were suggested by the panel,
including a separate Board at the Centre as well as at the
state level.
"In order to have an expert institution in the matter of
road safety and traffic management, to have an independent
implementing agency to oversee road safety activities, the
proposed National Road Safety and Traffic Management Board is
the ideal solution," the Standing Committee on Transport said.
After this the Road Safety Cell of the Ministry will no
longer exist and all the functions would be carried out by the
Board, it said, adding that the Road Transport Division of the
Ministry will be downsized and one of the units will submerge
within the Board.
Road Ministry is considering the recommendations of the
Standing Committee and would introduce it in the Parliament
after necessary amendments are made, a road ministry official
said.
Winter session of the Parliament is likely to begin in
the second week of November, he added.
PTI
