New Delhi, July 29 (UNI) International Road Federation, a Geneva based global body working for better
and safer road mobility world-wide, has urged all political parties to come together for early passage of Amended Motor Vehicle Act in the Rajya Sabha during the ongoing Monsoon session of Parliament.
“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.
The passage of Bill will help close major gaps in the legislative framework that governs road safety in the country.'
India, as a signatory to the United Nations Brasilia Declaration, was committed to reducing road traffic fatalities by 50 per cent by 2020”, said International Road Federation chairman K K Kapila, in a statement on Sunday.
"To reduce the growing number of increasing fatal road accidents in the country, the IRF urges the parliamentarians from various political parties to help enact the much awaited amended Motor Vehicle Act (MVA) in the current session of Parliament to give the world a message that India is working towards its commitments to reducing road accident injuries and fatalities by half by the end of the year 2020," said Mr Kapila.
The number of road accident deaths in India being the highest in the world, higher penalties for traffic offences will help in reducing fatal road accidents and stronger law and stricter deterrent penalties have worked in curbing road accidents world wide, he said.
Clearing and implementation of the new MVA, which has provisions for strict enforcement with appropriate penalties, accompanied by public awareness of the laws will be a critical factor in reducing road traffic injuries and deaths, he stressed.
Opposition parties, including the Congress,have opposed the proposed amendments to the Motor Vehicles Act in the Rajya Sabha, saying it would help the corporates and dilute the powers of the state governments.
The Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill, which has already been passed by the Lok Sabha, was introduced in the Upper House in April 2017 but was referred to a select panel.
After taking into account the panel's recommendation, the Bill was re-introduced in the Rajya Sabha, where several concerns were raised.
The select committee recommended the passing of the Bill without changes. When the Bill was taken for discussion on July 23, it faced tough opposition.
Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari may call for an all-party meeting to discuss concerns over the Bill, sources said.
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