Trucks In India To Get Mandatory Air Conditioned Cabins, Govt Issues Draft Notification

Union Minister for Road Transport & Highways Nitin Gadkari said that Truck drivers play a crucial role in ensuring road safety and we aim to provide comfortable working conditions for them.

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The Government of India has approved a draft notification to mandate the installation of air-conditioning systems in the cabins of trucks, said Union Minister Nitin Gadkari on Twitter. The draft prepared includes trucks under categories N2 and N3, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari tweeted. Nitin Gadkari, earlier in June, said that he has signed a file that mandates air conditioning in truck driver compartments. He said that truck drivers play a crucial role in ensuring road safety and we must ensure that people who drive the trucks are well taken of.

"Approved the draft notification to mandate the installation of air-conditioning systems in the cabins of trucks belonging to categories N2 and N3. Truck drivers play a crucial role in ensuring road safety. This decision marks a significant milestone in providing comfortable working conditions for truck drivers, thereby improving their efficiency and addressing the problem of driver fatigue" the Union minister for road, transport and highways said.

Approved the draft notification to mandate the installation of air-conditioning systems in the cabins of trucks belonging to categories N2 and N3.

Truck drivers play a crucial role in ensuring road safety. This decision marks a significant milestone in providing comfortable…

— Nitin Gadkari (@nitin_gadkari) July 6, 2023

This decision marks a significant milestone in providing comfortable working conditions for truck drivers, thereby improving their efficiency and addressing the problem of driver fatigue, Gadkari further said in the tweet. He said that truck drivers play a key role in the transport sector, which is one of the most important areas for India. 

Lamenting that truck drivers have been forced to work in extreme heat conditions, the minister had said that he has been pushing for air-conditioned cabins for truck drivers for a long time even as "some people objected to it saying it will increase costs."

"Our drivers operate vehicles in harsh temperatures of 43...47 degrees and we must imagine the condition of drivers. I was keen to introduce the AC cabin after I became a minister. But some people opposed it saying the cost of trucks will go up," he said addressing the event called 'Desh Chaalak - Recognising those who move India' organised by Mahindra Logistics.

The minister did not mention the deadline as to when people can expect those trucks fitted with AC cabins will be rolled out. Some reports suggest that the rollout will be from 2025.