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Special Issue – September, 2012
0 © India Transport Portal
September, 2012
© India Transport Portal, 2012
INSIGHTS
&
ANALYSIS ROAD SAFETY IN INDIA
Special Issue – September, 2012
1 © India Transport Portal
Table of contents
Click on the article you wish to read to reach it directly. Click on the link “back to table of contents” at the end of each
article to come back at the articles list.
Articles:
Road safety management p.2
The lack of road safety cost p.7
Intelligent Traffic System p.10
Improvement in road construction p14
Improvement in automotive technology p.18
Interviews:
“We need to finalize the Action Plan”
International Road Federation - Mr. K. K. Kapila, Chairman p.23
“Fatalities are in the most productive age group people”
Central Research Road Institute – Dr. S. Gangopadhyay, Director p.26
“Road Safety is a corporate issue”
Confederation of Indian Industry Institute of Quality – Mr. N. Kumar, President p.29
“Road deaths are treated as statistics”
Institute of Road Traffic Eduction - Dr. Rohit Baluja, President p.34
“Financial allocation alone is insufficient”
Karnataka Government Advisor - Prof. M.N Sreehari p.38
“We are once again found napping”
ArriveSAFE – Mr. Harman S. Sidhu, Founder p.42
“Transport matters are off the mind of the Government”
India Confederation of Goods Vehicle Owners Association - Mr. Chittranjan Dass, Secretary Gal p.48
“People become aware when you penalize them”
Center for Environmental Planning and Technology - Pr. Talat Munshi, Associate Professor p.49
“Corporates must create road safety awareness”
GlobalTHEN - Mr. Ram Badrinathan, CEO p.51
“There is no road safety even in distant horizon”
Intercontinental Consultants & Technocrats Pvt. Ltd. – Pr. P.K. Sikdar, President p.57
Credits
Special Issue – September, 2012 Road safety management
2 © India Transport Portal
The urgent need for road safety management in India
In the first Global Status Report on Road Safety, the World
Health Organization (WHO) identified road accidents as the
“biggest killers” across the world, which will assume an
endemic proposition by 2030. The problem is more acute with
low and middle-income level countries as they contribute to
around 90% of deaths arising out of road fatalities.
The worst news for India is that, the country has been identified
by WHO as the worldwide leader in road deaths. More deaths
happen in India due to road accidents than even the more
populous China. According to September 2011 reports
generated by the National Crime Record Bureau (NCRB) of
Government of India road accidents in the country have
increased by 5.5% compared to 2009. Out of the unnatural
causes of accidental deaths, road fatalities have the highest
share of about 37%.
Table 1 clearly shows that from 2006-10, the percentage of
road deaths in the overall accidental deaths due to unnatural
causes, has shown an upward trend except for the FY 2009
where it was marginally higher than that of 2010. Table 2
(page 3) shows that with the increasing number of vehicles
between 2006 and 2010, the numbers of road accidents on
Indian roads also increased.
The need for a robust and sound Road Safety Management
programme in India is quite unquestionable. The Indian
Government and its several bodies like the State Traffic Police
Department, assume the most important role in
this regard. The Government is also working with
several agencies and bodies including global
organizations like the WHO, World Bank etc.
Initiatives have poured in from other arenas as
well, like NGOs, and there have been concrete
efforts made by the corporate houses in the
country.
Looking at why India desperately needs road
safety management programs. What is the role of
the Government in this? What are the cities
initiatives? Looking at corporate houses, NGOs
and how these bodies work together and share
the responsibility of organizing road safety
management.
Road safety
management
“More deaths happen in India due to road
accidents than even the more populous
China.”
No. of accidental deaths
Road accidents Total un-natural
2006 1,05,725 2,93,202 36.1
2007 1,14,59 3,15,641 36.3
2008 1,18,239 3,18,316 37.1
2009 1,26,896 3,34,766 37.9
2010 1,33,938 3,59,583 37.2
Share of road accidents deaths in un-
natural total death (%)Year
Source: National Crime Records Bureau, 2011 Report
Table 1: Accidental deaths and road accidents
Special Issue – September, 2012 Road safety management
3 © India Transport Portal
According to road safety consultant Samir
Pathak, around 80 % of road accidents are
down to the drivers’ fault. Every day around
350 people die in India due to such
negligent behavior. To put a cap on the
rising number of fatalities occurring due to
drivers fault, Government of India has
decided to set up 10 modern driving
Training Schools costing Rs 140 crores.
The schools, known as Institute of Driving
Training and Research (IDTR), with most
modern facilities will be set up in different
states to produce competent drivers. This
initiative will maybe stem the illegal driving
schools that mushroomed in India.
According to a report of Express India, in 2011, out of the thirty
three driving schools in Chandigarh only nine had a valid
license. Even the Times of India reported that in Lucknow, only
20 schools had license but the unlicensed category is much
higher and that is also in the case in cities like Delhi. These
motor driving schools steer clear of all mandates of the
Regional Transport Office (RTO) and openly disregard the
regulations of the Motor Vehicles Act. It is mandatory for the
driving schools in India to procure a valid license from the
State Transport Authority (STA) and also to register themselves
with the Registration and Licensing Authority (RLA).
The drivers coming out of these schools are naturally
incompetent, untrained and have no concern for the safety of
others. With this in mind, it is imperative to curb these wrong
practices immediately.
A very important step towards this direction was taken in
Mumbai recently when the Western Regional Transport Office
in Andheri introduced a new system of driving tests that made
the licensing test stricter. In an interview to DNA, Deputy
Regional Transport officer Bharat Kalaskar remarked that
“these measures would keep the roads safer by keeping bad
drivers off the streets”. Such initiatives are truly welcome as the
first steps to ensure road safety to curb the dominance of
illegal driving schools in India.
Road Safety Programme with World Bank
The Sundar Committee Report on Road Safety and Traffic
Management (2007) highlighted the urgent need to integrate
safety measures in the road development programme of
India. Accordingly, the Indian Government launched a road
safety campaign in with the World Bank. This project funded
390
395
400
405
410
415
420
425
430
0
20 000
40 000
60 000
80 000
100 000
120 000
140 000
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
Nb. Of vehicles ('000)
Road accidents
Table 2: Number of vehicles and road accidents
Source: National Crime Records Bureau, 2011 Report
“Around 80 % of road accidents are down
to the driver(s)’ fault. Every day around
350 people die in India due to such
negligent behavior.”
Special Issue – September, 2012 Road safety management
4 © India Transport Portal
by the World Bank Global Safety Facility (GRSF), aimed to bring
into effect the International Road Assessment Program (IRAP).
Under this project, more than 3,000 km of National and State
Highways for states such as Assam, Gujarat and Karnataka
were brought under the purview of assessment and inspection.
In association with the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways
and Public Works Department of the concerned states, this
IRAP project attempted to improve the conditions of high-risk
roads to make them safer for commuting.
The use of the latest digital imaging technology on these
stretches is also one of the agendas of this project. This will
provide better help in road safety management and will also
bring down the percentage of road deaths and injuries.
State Traffic Police’s Initiatives
At State Level, the responsibility of the Traffic police in road
safety management and educating citizens on road safety is
of cardinal importance. Bangalore Traffic Police is equipped
with modern technological facilities like a Traffic Automation
Centre, Traffic Interceptor Vehicles etc. They also have
Blackberry phones at their disposal so that the repeated
offenders can be tracked easily.
Again, Delhi Traffic Police Department has established Road
Safety Cell to generate awareness on safety norms from the
grass root level. Other initiatives include educational
awareness programmes in collaboration with schools across
the State to prevent unsafe road conditions, running of safety
awareness advertisements in movie halls, organization of Street
Plays, quiz, distribution of literature on road safety etc.
Enforcement of Laws
Stricter enforcement of road safety management plans has
made its way in the country’s law book. The Government of
India has in its recent Parliamentary Session passed bills for
tighter enforcement of the existing Motor Vehicles Act.
Penalties have been increased for not wearing seat belts or
helmets, jumping traffic lights, using mobile phones and driving
under alcoholic influence. Beside penalties, drunk driving will
result in imprisonment for up to two years.
In addition, serial offenders will be hit with higher penalties and
longer prison sentences. There has also been a major
crackdown on truck overloading. Overloaded cargo vehicles
are a big factor in road fatalities, besides hampering road
infrastructure. In 2005, the Supreme Court of India issued
dictates to the State Governments stating vehicles must only
carry the recommended load as per the rules of the Central
“Overloaded cargo vehicles are a big
factor in road fatalities, besides
hampering road infrastructure.”
Special Issue – September, 2012 Road safety management
5 © India Transport Portal
Motor Vehicles Act. Further, in January 2012 the Ministry of
Highways ordered the National Highways Authority of India
(NHAI) to crackdown on overloaded trucks and to issue an
“action taken report” to keep track of them. Criminal actions
against the offenders have also been ordered.
For better investment in road safety campaigns, tax exemption
laws have also been proposed by Parkash Singh Badal, Chief
Minister of Punjab, which will give considerable exemptions to
NGOs, corporate and media houses investing in such
programmes.
Road safety projects in cities
In 2010, a consortium of partners from the UN Road Safety
Collaboration received funding from The Bloomberg Family
Foundation to expand road safety to 10 low- or middle-
income countries (RS10 project). In 2012, they decided to
extend the project in Ludhiana and Bathinda.
A WHO representative in India and technical officer Road
Safety & Injury Prevention visited the city for initial meetings
with the stake holders. Dr. Kamaljeet Soi, Vice Chairman,
Punjab State Road Safety Council said he organized meetings
of local NGOs and police officials with Dr. Almqvist Sverker,
WHO representative to know the ground realities in Ludhiana.
An enforcement plan was discussed which included creating
check points, dividing city in various zones, day to day
monitoring of drunken driving and enforcement drive.
Another initiative is about to begin in Pune. Radio jingles on
road safety and traffic discipline will soon be displayed on
radio channels. The traffic branch of the city police has
created these audio messages with the help of various
corporate units, agencies and local artistes.
Corporate or Private and NGO Efforts
Corporate initiatives in this domain have often been launched
in association with Government initiatives. In April 2012, the
state of Haryana saw a public-private partnership when the
State Government and Maruti Suzuki India Private Limited
jointly launched the Institute of Driving and Traffic Research
(IDTR). This IDTR Rohtak center that is all set to train 20,000
people will offer modern driving training facilities and the main
aim is to educate trainee drivers on road safety.
Similarly, in Mumbai IESP, the training division of Airawat Group
has tied with various corporate organizations and has
launched a Defensive Driving Course (DDC) Training module
with Mumbai’s Traffic Police. The main purpose of the module
“Corporate initiatives in this domain have
often been launched in association with
Government initiatives.”
Special Issue – September, 2012 Road safety management
6 © India Transport Portal
is to inculcate the drivers with essential skills that will keep
reduce the rate of road accidents.
There are many non-profit organizations in India that have
directed their efforts and have actively participated in road
safety management in the country. Organizing road safety
rallies, setting up of exhibitions, providing “Bystander care” to
victims of road accidents, interacting with school and college
students are just some of the efforts undertaken by
organisations like Save Life Foundation, ArriveSAFE (see our
interview), Green World Group etc. These initiatives have
helped to consolidate the efforts towards the management of
safer and better road conditions.
Road safety management in India is a joint effort between
various Governmental and private bodies, working together
and sharing the responsibility of providing India with a safer
road environment.
Words: India Transport Portal
Back to table of contents
“There are many non-profit organizations
in India that have directed their efforts
and have actively participated in road
safety management in the country.”
Special Issue – September, 2012 Economic aspect of road safety
7 © India Transport Portal
The other aspect of lack of road safety
Road traffic injuries, according to World Health Organization
(WHO) statistics, are one of the prime causes of deaths across
the world. Currently placed in ninth position, road accidents
are expected to acquire a leading position within a decade,
surpassing even HIV and cancer. It is no wonder that road
fatalities are described as global epidemics. Besides the
emotional and humanitarian aspects of road accidents, there
is an economic side that can hardly be ignored. Lack of road
safety can have a negative impact on the economy of a
country and on its overall economic development.
A 2008 estimate from the World Health Organization (WHO)
has pegged global economic costs arising out of road crashes
to around $518 billion and the contribution of low income
countries to this cost is placed around $65 billion. A study
conducted by the World Bank estimated that high income
countries spend around 1% of their Gross National Product
(GNP) on expenses relating to road injuries with the figure
going up to 1.5% and 2% in the case of middle and low
income countries respectively.
This implies that developing countries face a loss of around
$100 billion per year due to road accidents. According to the
World Bank, this figure is twice the figure of total assistance
that developing countries generally receive at a worldwide
level. The serious ramifications of this loss on the socio-
economic growth of developing countries are unquestionable.
The Indian scenario
The scenario in India is even worse. According to the latest
report by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), out of
the 4,61,757 traffic accidents reported in India during 2010,
4,30,654 comprised of road accidents. In that year, around
1,30,000 people were killed due to accidents on roads. This
implies that every hour around 15 people become victims of
road accidents in the country. Data from the NCRB clearly
reveals that out of the total accidental deaths that happened
Economic
aspect of
road safety
The other side of road safety: what is the scenario
in India in terms of road accidents and how much
India spends on road accidents? What costs fall
under road accident expenses? How has it
affected the Indian economy? Which challenges
need to be overcome to create safe road
conditions?
“Every hour around 15 people become
victims of road accidents in India.”
Special Issue – September, 2012 Economic aspect of road safety
8 © India Transport Portal
in India across 2010, the majority came from
road accidents which amounted to around
34.8%.
These facts are an unfortunate daily reality on
Indian roads. Thus, the lack of road safety on
Indian roads leads to the loss of lives, causing
emotional trauma as well as economic issues.
How road accidents affect the economy
Road accidents cost the economy of the
country dearly in many respects. There are
important heads that come under these
expenses like infrastructural cost, administrative
expenses that pertain to the Government’s
spending on properties damaged due to
accidents and compensation as well as
rehabilitation of the victims.
Spending on health care services comprise a big chunk of the
expenses. This includes first-aid to victims, providing support to
transfer the victim to hospital within the key one hour period
and helping in post-crash emergency support. Besides, there is
a loss of household services as the economy loses out on the
taxes of the earnings of the deceased victims and there is a
loss of income for the survivors of the victim’s family. Overall,
due to the lack of road safety the financial resources of the
country are heavily affected.
India’s expenses on road accidents and the implications
Across 2001-03, the Planning Commission of India undertook a
study of the economic expenses of road accidents in India.
The study concluded that expenses arising out of these for the
year 1999-2000, cost the Indian economy a staggering 55, 000
crore rupees (approximately $10 billion). It occupied a total
share of 3% of the country’s Gross Domestic product (GDP).
Recently, the International Road Federation (IRF), a non-profit
organization, revealed the country’s present cost of road
accidents. The IRF has shown that the estimates from the
Planning Commission have now almost doubled. India now
spends a whopping 1 lakh crore rupees ($20 billion) every year
due to the lack of road safety.
This figure is quite alarming for the economy of a developing
country like India. According to estimates presented by the
WHO, $20 billion could have helped in developmental
programmes in the country like food provisions for 50% of the
nation’s malnourished children. Expenses incurred due to road
accidents are essentially sunk costs that generate no returns as
the money lost cannot be used for any productive purposes.
34,8
7,3
7,3 7,3
6,3
7,1
6,5
5,4
3
2,4
12,6
By road accident
By rail-road & other railwayaccident
By poisoning
By drowning
By fire
By sudden deaths
By natural causes
By causes not known
By falls
By electrocution
By other un-natural causes
Table 1: Percentage share of various causes of
accidental deaths during 2010 in India
Source: National Crime Records Bureau, 2011 Report
“India spends 20 billion every year due to
the lack of road safety. This amount is
equivalent of food provisions for 50% of
the nation’s malnourished children.”
Special Issue – September, 2012 Economic aspect of road safety
9 © India Transport Portal
Challenges ahead
More than a decade has passed, since the report generated
by the Planning Commission has come out but the situation
has far from improved. Where developed countries have
significantly brought down the menace of road fatalities,
India’s position on the issue has only become worst. According
to the chairperson of the IRF K.K. Kapila (see our interview),
Government sources are not unaware of these figures and
estimates. In fact, in his opinion, India “lacks the political will”
to solve the crisis. This seems true if one looks at the meager
penalties that are being imposed on offenders for flouting
traffic rules on roads.
The table below shows the various penalties given for some of
the major offences caused by unsafe road conditions and that
heavily contributes to injuries and deaths on roads.
The table clearly shows the outdated penalty structure
practiced in the capital of India. This is one of the main reasons
why offenders are not deterred from flouting road safety rules.
This point has also been reiterated by Delhi’s Joint
Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Satyendra Garg. In his opinion
archaic penalties and outdated rules of Motor Vehicle’s Act of
1988 are largely responsible for the disregard of road safety
regulations amongst citizens.
Developed countries could significantly bring down the
incidents of road accidents thanks to active measures
undertaken by the Government and robust traffic
management systems. In the Indian context, such steps are
also required. For road safety management programmes, the
Government must pump up its financial support and the
funding requirement in this arena should be considered a
priority. Expenses on ensuring safe road conditions should not
be viewed as expenditures by the Government. They are
indeed investments that will guarantee long term
returns and benefits, unlike expenses incurred from
road accidents.
According to a research conducted by the Transport
Research Laboratory on “Socio-economic aspects of
road accidents in developing countries”, investment
in road safety programmes can reduce a nation’s
cost on road accidents by 5%. For that, however,
only the best and the most appropriate road safety
improvement measures should be introduced.
Words: India Transport Portal
Back to table of contents
Table 1: Road traffic fines
“Outdated penalty structure practiced in
the capital of India is one of the main
reasons why offenders are not deterred
from flouting road safety rules.”
Offence description Penal section Amount
No Overtaking 6RR/177MVA Rs. 100
One w ay Violation RRR17(1)/177MVA Rs. 100
Violation of Yellow line 18(||)RRR119/177MVA Rs. 100
Carrying High/Long Load RRR 29/177 MVA Rs. 100
Without Know ledge of Traff ic rules RRR33/177 MVA Rs. 100
Carrying passenger in goods vehicle DMVR 84(2)/177MVA Rs. 100
Using High Beam 112(4)(A)&(C) 177MVA Rs. 100
Over Speed 112/183(1)MVA Rs. 400
Red light Jumping 119/177 MVA Rs. 100
Violation of mandatory signs ( one w ay no right turn no
left turn no horn )119/177 MVA Rs. 100
Driving left hand drive w ithout indicator 120/177 MVA Rs. 100
Driving w ithout helmet (Rider or Pillow Rider) 129/177 MVA Rs. 100
Not using seat belt CMVR 138(3)/177 MVA Rs. 100
Using mobile phone w hile driving 184 MVA Rs. 1000
Driving w ithout license 3/181 MVA Rs. 500
Driving by minor 4/181 MVA Rs. 500
Source: Delhi traff ic police w ebsite
Special Issue – September, 2012 Intelligent Traffic Systems
10 © India Transport Portal
The efficiency of Intelligent Traffic Systems in India
The growth of the Indian economy has spawned an urban
population with a high income level. This has led to increased
motorization on Indian roads. The increasing number of
vehicles coupled with a high population fabric has
contributed to severe congestion problems throughout the
country. India’s road infrastructures are often not equipped to
deal with the heavy traffic flow, which in turn creates unsafe
road conditions.
No wonder India holds the highest number of road fatalities
(according to a World Health Organization Report). Every year
death toll rises with increasing numbers of road accidents. In
2011, the Union Health Ministry along with the Ministry of Road
Highways and Surface Transport stated that around 1.6 lakh
people were killed in India due to road accidents in 2010. This
number has increased by 30,000 compared to the 2009
statistics.
One of the important ways of improving safety on Indian roads
is to have a sound traffic management system: a modern
system that can monitor, manage as well as enforce traffic
rules efficiently. As a result, the Intelligent Traffic system was
introduced in India.
Operation of Intelligent Traffic System
The Intelligent Traffic System is an electronic sensor based
traffic management system that does not require any manual
help and can operate traffic signals automatically based on
the number of vehicles on the road at a particular time. Roads
with such systems have sensor lights to assess the vehicular
density before switching to the green or red lights. Various
detectors determine the load, weight and sound of the
vehicles on road.
This does not only make traffic management easier but it
reduces standing time for commuters as well. The reason being
is that if the light is green at a certain crossroad, chances are,
the light will also be green at the next crossroad. Due to
The importance of intelligent traffic systems in
India: how does this system work? Which cities in
India have adopted this system? What is the cost
of the operation? What are the results of such
road safety devices?
Intelligent
traffic systems
“Roads with such systems have sensor
lights to assess the vehicular density
before switching to the green or red
lights. Various detectors determine the
load, weight and sound of the vehicles on
road.”
Special Issue – September, 2012 Intelligent Traffic Systems
11 © India Transport Portal
reduced standing time at busy intersections, pollution levels
are also expected to drop. The system also allows for
electronic recognition of number plates to identify offending
vehicles and immediate challans (fines) can be issued to the
vehicles in question. This system also involves the installation of
CCTV cameras that can monitor traffic-related crimes like
speeding, unauthorized parking, jumping of signals or any
other violations of traffic norms. CCTV footage can be later
used to prosecute the culprits. Real time information on traffic
issues can be obtained through this system.
With this in mind, an Intelligent Traffic system can not only
relieve Indian roads from heavy congestion issues, but it also
helps to enforce road safety rules in a more efficient manner
eventually impacted positively on the number of road
accidents.
Which cities have adopted Intelligent Traffic systems and what
were the financial costs?
Many urban Indian cities have embraced the implementation
of an Intelligent Traffic system. India’s IT capital Bangalore,
where the roads are notorious for congestion, was one of the
first few Indian cities to adopt such a system. The first
indigenously produced Vehicle Actuated System (VA)
developed by Kerela Electronic Development Corporation
(Keltron) was taken by Bangalore Traffic Police. An investment
worth rupees 1.2 crore (2,23,200 USD) was ploughed into this
project with an initial order for 20 VA systems that were
deployed in the busy traffic intersection of Bangalore city.
Keltron-developed CCTV cameras have also been installed in
Pune since 2008 as part of the implementation of their
Intelligent Traffic system. A whopping 15.46 crore rupees
(28,75,560 USD) investment has been pumped for this
installation project that started in 2008.
In 2007, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) launched
the project for an Intelligent Traffic system in Mumbai. The
Intelligent Area Traffic Control system, an ambitious scheme
under the World Bank’s Mumbai Urban Transport Project
(MUTP) which was set to introduce this system in 53 traffic
junctions in the first phase of the project, followed by 249 more
junctions. 49 crore rupees (91,14,000 USD) was projected as the
initial cost for the implementation of this system.
Ahmedabad too has embraced the Intelligent Traffic system in
a bid to synchronize the city’s growing traffic menace. In 2011,
a joint effort was undertaken by Ahmedabad Municipal
Corporation and Ahmedabad Traffic Department to
implement this system on the city’s roads.
“An Intelligent Traffic system can not only
relieve Indian roads from heavy
congestion issues, but it also helps to
enforce road safety rules in a more
efficient manner.”
Special Issue – September, 2012 Intelligent Traffic Systems
12 © India Transport Portal
In the capital city of Delhi, the Intelligent Traffic Management
System was introduced before the Common Wealth Games.
The Government’s committee on Economic Affairs sanctioned
in 2009 a sum of 200 crore rupees (3,72,00,000 USD) for the
successful implementation of the project. Routes leading to
the Games’ sites were brought under the purview of this
system. 55 roads covering a stretch of 217,96 km along with
200 intersections were brought under this IT driven system. Live
monitoring of traffic along with the installation of high
resolution cameras were the high points of this system.
For the implementation of the Project, Delhi Traffic Police tied
up with RITES along with a German firm. The need to streamline
Delhi’s traffic signals through a modern traffic system even
after the Games, was evident as highlighted by Lt Governor
Tejendra Khanna’s
urge to introduce Intelligent Traffic systems in other parts of
the city, similar to what has already been done in the Bus
Rapid Corridor of South Delhi.
Implementation problems faced by Intelligent Traffic Systems
Although, India has taken the correct step by shifting towards
Intelligent Traffic Systems, implementations of the projects
have not always been very fruitful. In Mumbai, for instance,
one year after the launch of the system, only four out of the
scheduled 53 traffic junctions saw successful installations.
Pune, even after spending 15.46 crore rupees (28,75,560 USD),
is still waiting for the project to be completed. A tug of war
between Pune Municipal Corporation and Pune Traffic Police
has emerged on the question of issuance of challans. This has
arisen as a result of petty differences over this issue: the
Intelligent Traffic system is now being used to monitor mainly
rubbish collections, octroi (local tax) posts and water works in
the city.
The Deputy Commissioner of Police in Pune stated that since
the system is controlled by Pune Municipal Corporation, even
after capturing traffic irregularities, the traffic department does
not receive the relevant camera feed. The issue of challans is
now finally going to be solved as private players have been
roped in to settle the differences.
In Delhi the project was also on hold for ages. Even after
repeatedly missed deadlines, the project was delayed
because until 2010, suitable bidders to fulfill the project could
not be determined. Such problems only dampen the overall
purpose for which the system has been introduced in the first
place.
“Implementations of the projects have not
always been very fruitful. In Mumbai, for
instance, one year after the launch of the
system, only four out of the scheduled 53
traffic junctions saw successful
installations.”
Special Issue – September, 2012 Intelligent Traffic Systems
13 © India Transport Portal
Future direction
Currently, the implementation of an Intelligent Transport
System is mainly focused on urban Indian cities. Small cities
also suffer from heavy traffic congestion and high road
accidents levels. Statistics published by the National Crime
Records Bureau in September 2011 clearly support this.
Thus, if India wants to implement comprehensive road safety
programmes, Intelligent Traffic systems should also be
introduced in smaller cities. The systems would then adjust to
the needs of individual cities to put in place the most suitable
format for each. There is still a long way for India to go on this
matter, but the country has shown willingness and heavily
invested in these systems to try and tackle its extreme road-
related issues.
Words: India Transport Portal
Back to table of contents
“The implementation of an Intelligent
Transport System is mainly focused on
urban Indian cities. Small cities also suffer
from heavy traffic congestion and high
road accidents levels.”
No City Rate in city Rate in parent state
1 Pune 101,8 58,3
2 Nasik 99,7 58,3
3 Indore 89,9 49,4
4 Meerut 86,9 15,4
5 Nagpur 86,4 58,3
6 Rajkot 82,2 42,8
7 Vijayaw ada 70,7 37,5
8 Jaipur 68,5 34,2
9 Jabalpur 64,8 49,4
10 Delhi (city) 60,3 48,2
11 Surat 59,8 42,8
12 Bengaluru 59,7 41,1
13 Vishakhapatnam 58,4 37,5
14 Agra 57,6 15,4
15 Varanasi 57,5 15,4
16 Faridabad 53,6 46,3
17 Kanpur 53 15,4
18 Allahbad 51,9 15,4
19 Asansol 51,1 20,1
20 Vadodara 49,3 42,8
21 Jamshedpur 45,9 18,5
22 Ludhiana 39,1 30,1
23 Amritsar 32,7 30,1
24 Kochi 31,6 30,5
25 Patna 29,3 10,5
26 Lucknow 24,3 15,4
Rate of accidental deaths in cities w ith rate higuer than parent state, in 2010
Source: National Crime Records Bureau, 2011 Report
Special Issue – September, 2012 Technical aspect of road construction
14 © India Transport Portal
Bad roads and lack of appropriate signals cause road
accidents
In January 2012, India woke up to the chilling news of a bus
mishap on Saha-Sahabad road near Ambala that took the
lives of 14 school children. Although, thick fog was put down as
the main cause for the disaster, this incident highlighted the
dire need of improved safety features in road engineering. If
the Highway had reflective markings and was designed to
make travel safe under foggy conditions, the head-on collision
could have been avoided. Indian roads are often referred to
as “killer roads” as they are notoriously famous for eliciting
nightmarish experiences.
Improper road markings coupled with bad maintenance and
faulty constructions create road accidents and have
contributed to the country being at the top of the table when
it comes to road death statistics. It is true that in a bid to
reduce costs of making highways, safety features like
underpasses, flyovers, service lanes etc. are being
compromised or altogether overlooked.
The truth of the situation can be gauged from the views of Mr.
A.P. Bahadur, former Chief Engineer, Ministry of Road Transport
and Highways when he pointed out, that to keep budget
under control, the National Highway project between Delhi
and Agra was deprived of several vital safety features.
The situation is however not without hope as concrete steps
have been initiated to salvage the country from this crisis. In
cities like Bangalore, plans for making road engineering safer
were undertaken as early as 2006. In the Chief Minister’s 10
Point Programme, plans like junction redesigns that will widen
intersections, asphalting for smooth surface of the road,
improvement in design of medians that separate traffic from
opposite sides were conceptualized.
Improvement
in road
construction
Bad road engineering and improper signals can
cause accidents: what are the measures
undertaken to make road designs safe? What are
the technical improvements in the arena of
signals? How is managed the road maintenance?
“Improper road markings coupled with
bad maintenance and faulty constructions
create road accidents and have
contributed to the country being at the
top of the table when it comes to road
death statistics.”
Special Issue – September, 2012 Technical aspect of road construction
15 © India Transport Portal
Measures to improve road construction
Workshop on road safety in road designs
One of the most vital steps undertaken in 2011 by the Ministry
of Road Transport and Highways department was the launch
of a workshop on “Consideration of Road Safety in Design of
Road Projects’’. The National Highways Authority of India
along with Indian Roads Congress (IRC) were behind this
workshop aimed at discussing and sharing technical
knowledge among road engineers, design consultants,
contractors and planners on issues like the design of roads with
safety in mind, audits on road safety, the incorporation of
safety norms in work zones of projects pertaining to road
construction etc.
Further, the need to opt for safe road design has been
highlighted by the Union Minister Dr. C.P. Joshi when he
remarked that, “road design should not be an ad-hoc
generalization to justify adopting some inferior and unsafe
features to save money’’.
Undertaking road safety audits
The implementation of a Road Safety Audit (RSA) was another
crucial step taken by the Government towards safer road
designs. Identification of deficiencies in road engineering
formed the most important plan of this audit project. RSAs will
also prove vital for suggesting corrective measures are
required in the building design of the roads. Many developed
countries have successfully deployed this method to counter
road accidents.
According to DR. Nisha Mittal, Head of Traffic Engineering &
Safety at Central Road Research Institute (CRRI - see our
interview), “Road Safety Audit (RSA) is a proven methodology
for ensuring that various safety deficiencies and designs are
reviewed at appropriate stage in a cost-effective way”. In
2003, CRRI prepared the first guideline of Road Safety Audit
that was revised again in 2009.
Finally, in 2010, IRC adopted these guidelines that besides
outlining the stages and processes of RSA highlighted the
norms of safe road engineering. Points like present the traffic
scenario, non-motorized traffic, safety issues of Highway
corridors as well as rural roads were to be considered while
constructing roads. For this purpose, the NHAI also set up a
Road Safety Unit.
“One of the most vital steps undertaken
was the launch of a workshop. Its goal
was to discuss and share technical
knowledge among road engineers, design
consultants and planners on issues like
road design with safety in mind,
incorporation of safety norms in work
zones etc.”
Special Issue – September, 2012 Technical aspect of road construction
16 © India Transport Portal
The Government has made substantial plans to implement
RSAs in all parts of the country between the 2010 and 2013 at
an estimated cost of 420 lakh rupees. As part of this project,
1000 engineers were to be trained and they would not only
provide suggestions in the design of roads but will also review
existing projects and identify construction errors so as to make
roads compatible with safety rules. Private developers have
also been instructed by the Government that while designing
roads, safety features like service roads, pedestrian crossings,
cattle crossings, and truck and bus bays must be included.
Measures to improve signaling
Another aspect of designing roads with safety in mind is to
have to appropriate road markings. It is also imperative to
have working traffic signals that can direct the motorists as well
as the pedestrians safely. In 2011, Save Pune Traffic Movement
(SPTM) submitted a report to Pune Municipal Corporation. The
report highlighted the faults of the traffic signal system of the
city which included the lack of signals at proper locations,
inadequate visibility of signals from stop lines, shortage of time
for crossing the road for pedestrians etc. These suggestions
were accepted by the concerned authorities.
In many parts of the country, technical improvements for
traffic signal systems have been introduced. For example, in
February 2012 in Kolkata, the drive to upgrade manual traffic
signals into automatic signal system was launched in the Salt
lake area to give respite to the city’s IT hub, Sector V from
excessive congestion.
In cities like Bangalore, Delhi, Pune Intelligent Traffic systems,
sensor based electronic signal systems have been introduced.
Bangalore has also launched “Bangalore Traffic Improvement
Project – BTARC 2011”. Chief agendas of this project involve
improvements in road markings, signage as well as that of the
traffic signal through Vehicle Actuated system.
In Delhi before the implementation of the Intelligent Traffic
system, a strong drive for maintenance and repair of existing
signals and blinkers was undertaken in 2009. This plan included
fresh tenders from contractors for this purpose and strict
enforcement of penalty clauses was included in case the
signal remained defunct beyond the prescribed time limit.
According to new clauses, minor faults in traffic signals have to
be repaired by the contractors within six hours whereas for
major ones, a two day time period was made mandatory. A
computerized fault monitoring system was also introduced to
keep a strict check on the maintenance process.
“In Delhi, a strong drive for maintenance
and repair of existing signals and blinkers
was undertaken. This plan included fresh
tenders from contractors for this purpose
and strict enforcement of penalty clauses
was included in case the signal remained
defunct beyond the prescribed time limit.”
Special Issue – September, 2012 Technical aspect of road construction
17 © India Transport Portal
ITS has also made its way in the country. With Mysore, other
cities are also catching up with the system. As part of the
implementation of the ITS in the city of Hyderabad, Andhra
Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) along with
GHMC and Traffic Police joined forces in April 2012, to promote
better management of traffic in the city. Lane makings on all
city roads, creation of bus lanes with adequate road signs
were some of the agenda points of this project which was to
be funded by Japan International Cooperative Agency
(JICA).
Road maintenance management
The State Highways, Major District and Rural Roads are the
responsibility of the Governments in the respective states. The
Public Works Department and other state agencies take care
of all the roads and highways maintenance of a state except
the five national highways. The Department of Rural
Development has adopted a number of schemes for the
development of the backward rural areas of India. One such
programme is the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana which
was launched in 2000. Under this scheme, the responsibility for
maintenance of roads falls to the village panchayats.
The Central Government is primarily responsible for the
maintenance of National Highways (1.7% of the road network
carrying 40% of the traffic). The Ministry of Road Transport and
Highways adheres to the agency system to maintain National
Highways and the NHAI is the nodal agency which undertakes
maintenance of greater parts of the highways network.
Most of the roads and highways in India are in dire need of
adequate maintenance. The extent of work involved in the
maintenance is enormous and unfortunately the funds
available are inadequate to meet the requirements. It is
estimated that India would require approximately an annual
funding of $1.3 billion to maintain its highways network. This is
about three times the amount that is currently being spent. The
inadequate maintenance funding is also the case for both,
national and state highways.
There are positive signs that the Government is taking steps in
its role in improving road construction and traffic signal
systems. But the funding needs to be significantly increased.
Comprehensive incorporation of safety norms and features in
these areas will eventually help bring down the number of
road accidents, and related injuries and deaths, across the
entire country.
Words: India Transport Portal
Back to table of contents
“The extent of work involved in the
maintenance is enormous but the funds
available are inadequate to meet the
requirements. India would require an
annual funding of $1.3 billion to maintain
its highways network. This is three times
the amount that is currently being spent.”
Special Issue – September, 2012 Automotive Technology
18 © India Transport Portal
Recently, India has made its mark in the world’s automobile
market. In 2010, the country achieved the distinction of being
one of the world’s fastest growing car markets. In the sale of
passenger vehicles, India is ahead of developed countries like
USA, UK, Brazil, Japan etc. and is only behind China.
There is, however, an ugly side to this automobile boom. India
has also the worst rate of traffic accidents in the world.
According to the first Global Status Report on Road Safety by
the World Health Organization, India leads the world in deaths
arising out of road accidents and one of the reasons behind
this trend is attributed to the increasing number of cars on
Indian roads.
Opposing views on this issue have emerged from automobile
manufacturers like Tata Motors. According to the company,
car makers are now quite focused on making safe cars.
Irrespective of whether increased motorization has contributed
to growing road fatalities, the fact remains that there has been
a boom in the number of cars. Thus, automotive technologies
in cars that help increase safe driving conditions are very
important and can help counteract the impact of human
negligence and infrastructural shortcomings.
Automotive technologies in cars and their technical evolutions
Nowadays, car manufacturers install a host of safety features
in their cars that can encourage safe driving conditions and at
the same time protect passengers from injuries, whether minor
or life-threatening. Such automotive technologies also do not
put the lives of other commuters at risk. There are a host of
such technological features available in cars that can
increase the drivers’ safety and limit the potential damage
caused by road accidents:
Seat belts
The most basic, yet primary safety feature in a car is the seat
belt. Wearing a seat belt can bring down road accident
related mortality rates by a substantial 40-50%. Due to the high
Looking at automotive technology in India: what
have been the recent technical improvements
regarding safety devices related to cars? What are
the standard norms for these features in the
country and how has it affected road safety?
Improvement
in automotive
technology
“According to Tata Motors, car makers
are now quite focused on making safe
cars.”
Special Issue – September, 2012 Automotive Technology
19 © India Transport Portal
impact nature of accidents, passengers, often get killed or
suffer injuries due to ejection from the vehicle. This can be
avoided through this safety harness. Seat belts also help
prevent passengers from hitting the dashboard or windshield.
Seat belts are now technically more advanced allowing
passengers to remain still on their seats upon high impact or
allow them to slow down along with the momentum of the car
in a controlled manner. Over the years the wear of seat belts
has become compulsory in most countries, decreasing the
number of road accidents related deaths.
Airbags
The presence of frontal airbags can reduce road fatalities by
20 to 40% in the event of a crash. An airbag is essentially, a
cushion that inflates upon impact providing a layer between
the passengers of the car and the vehicle’s hard interiors. They
are equipped with crash sensors that decide whether the
impact is strong enough to deploy the airbags.
Typically, on the driver side the airbag features in the middle of
the steering wheel whereas the front passenger seat airbag is
positioned above the glove box. Earlier cars used to have only
front side airbags but now with technological improvements,
cars come packed with up to six side airbags providing
protection from every angle. Hyundai’s Fluidic Verna, for
example, has been equipped with this extensive feature.
Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS)
This is an important feature that imparts safe drive conditions,
especially on wet roads. ABS prevents wheels from locking up
and stops the vehicle from skidding. It allows the driver to have
better control over the wheels and loss of traction is also
reduced. These days, these breaking systems are also being
fitted with an electronic brake force distribution system that
enhances a car’s performance on skid prone areas as it helps
release adequate stopping power to the wheels.
Electronic Stability Control (ESC)
ESC is a computerised safety automotive technology that
helps to keep the car under control, thereby reducing
accidents arising out of car skids. ESC comes equipped with
sensors that detect whether the car’s direction is in
congruence with the steering angle. If not, the electronic
stability control will apply brakes or make the engine slow
down so that the steering input is manoeuvred according to
the driver’s will. Cars like the Tata Aria come with this safety
feature.
“Over the years the wear of seat belts has
become compulsory in most countries,
decreasing the number of road accidents
related deaths.”
Special Issue – September, 2012 Automotive Technology
20 © India Transport Portal
Adaptive Cruise Control
This feature is key when creating safe road conditions. It not
only prevents accidents but also improves the mileage of the
car. Adaptive Cruise Control is an upgraded version of Cruise
Control that is conventionally fitted in cars. It helps to
manoeuvre the car according to the flow of the traffic. Most
importantly, this control enables the driver to keep a safe gap
with the vehicle ahead. It slows the engine automatically, in
case over speeding occurs.
Other safety technologies
There are many other important automotive technologies
available. Fog lamps, for example are extremely useful in
areas where visibility is poor. This is the case in cities like Delhi,
where during the winter season there is practically no visibility
because of fog.
Crumple zone is another feature that helps absorb the impact
within the front part of the car, and prevent diversion of the
crash energy within the car.
Another technique that modern cars come with is the reverse
parking sensor. This sensor identifies and alerts the driver about
nearby obstacles while parking.
Active Head Restraint is another safety technology that gives
support to the head, in case the vehicle is hit from behind. It
consists of pressure plates and a pivot system that play integral
roles in keeping the heads of the rear passengers firmly against
the seats.
The importance of tyres regarding road safety
One of the most important safety devices regarding road
safety is tyres because they are the only link between the car
and the road. Road safety is the hallmark of radial tyres along
with fuel efficiency and enhanced mileage. Michelin, one of
the largest tyre manufacturers in the world, revolutionized tyre
technology with the introduction of radial tyres in1946.
During motion, all plies, regardless of the angle when
stationary, are at right angles to the direction of travel. Flexible
sidewalls, spiral layers and other engineering incorporated into
radial tyres contribute to the radial’s success and reliability:
- Lower heat generation: due to their innovative
architecture, radial tyres generate less heat when
travelling at high speeds. This makes the tyres safer for
travelling as the chances of a burst tyre are reduced,
“One of the most important safety devices
regarding road safety is tyres because
they are the only link between the car and
the road.”
Special Issue – September, 2012 Automotive Technology
21 © India Transport Portal
- Safer ride: radial tyres offer a safer ride as they
provide a more stable contact with the surface of
the road when travelling,
- Increased maneuverability: radial tyres provide better
maneuverability and smaller slip angle on roads due
to their unique design and engineering,
- Better tractive and braking grip: due to greater area
of contact patch, the ground pressure is slightly lower
and more evenly distributed. That leads to greater
safety,
- Better riding comfort: this is because of greater
flexibility and suppleness of the sidewall which can
easily accommodate the dumping vibration. A
flexible sidewall helps to protect the inside of the tyre
and also provides a comfortable ride. The bumps on
the road feel smoother and the ride becomes less
tiring for the driver,
- More resistance to bruise impact or impact.
French manufacturer Michelin that supplies tubeless radial
tyres for passenger cars has come up with special tyres in the
TBR sector like XDE2 XDY3, XZE2 & XZY3 that are designed with
technologies especially suited to Indian roads. Along the same
line, Goodyear launched the GT3 radial tyre that is equipped
with Bubble Blade TM tread block design taking safety to a
different level.
Speaking to India Transport Portal, Rupesh Shah, Head of
Business Units - Butyl Rubber, Performance Butadiene Rubber
explained that roughly 5 percent of all accidents could be
avoided with better tires: “In 2010, a study by Professor Horst
Wildermann of the Technical University of Munich estimated
that high-quality tires improve road grip and handling and can
reduce braking distance by 50 percent. Also, in 30 percent of
all road accidents resulting in personal injuries, the collision
speed and the severity of resulting injuries could be reduced
with high-quality tires.”
Safety feature norms in India
All of these safety technologies are available in cars that are
sold in India but, unfortunately, safety norms are largely
neglected in the country. According to the country’s
legislations, it is only mandatory to have seat belts in cars that
are sold here. The other safety features do not figure in the
majority of cars, unlike their European counterparts.
These features are only available in high end models at an
additional cost. The airbag, although a primary safety
technology, is not available in most cars on Indian roads. In the
USA since 1998, it is mandatory to have at least two airbags in
the car. In India, no such things exist.
“French manufacturer Michelin that
supplies tubeless radial tyres for
passenger cars has come up with special
tyres in the TBR sector that are designed
with technologies especially suited to
Indian roads.”
Special Issue – September, 2012 Automotive Technology
22 © India Transport Portal
Apathy of strict legislations on the part of Government
coupled with Indian buyers’ reluctance to pay extra have
largely compromised safety norms on Indian roads. This is
really unfortunate if one looks at the statistics published by
National Crime Record Bureau. In 2010, car accident
related deaths represent a considerable figure of 16.6%.
Words: India Transport Portal
Back to table of contents
20
9,7
6,3
16,6 5,4
21,1
2,4
9,1
9,4
Truck/lorry
Bus
Tempo/vans
Car / SUV
Three wheeler
Two wheeler
Bicycle
Pedestrian
Others
Source: National Crime Records Bureau, 2011 Report
Road accident deaths by type of vehicles (%)
Special Issue – September, 2012 International Road Federation
23 © India Transport Portal
India Transport Portal: As the Chairman of the International
Road Federation, you are at the forefront of the road safety
issue. What is your comment on the today’s situation?
Mr. K. K. Kapila: The road safety situation in India is very grim.
More than 1,42,000 people died on Indian roads in 2011. This is
as far as official statistics go; actually the numbers would be
still higher. Unfortunately this does not get the attention it
deserves from the various stakeholders. The United Nations
passed a resolution launching the Decade of Action Plan on
11th of May 2011 under which all nations were supposed to
prepare an Action Plan encompassing the 5 Pillars of Road
Safety to reduce road accidents in the world by 50% by the
end of 2020.
In India, unfortunately, the Action Plan is yet to be announced.
I have personally written to the Chief Secretaries of all the
State Governments forwarding a Draft Action Plan, with the
request to kindly finalize and firm it up at the earliest so that we
can first exercise a check on the road accidents deaths, and
thereafter start reducing the numbers.
A number of NGOs are working in this field. Some of them are
from the general public who died in road accidents and their
families have formed NGOs and taken upon themselves to
work in the field of road safety.
IRF is trying to coordinate their effort by bringing them onto its
fold and assist in directing such efforts so that maximum results
are achieved. Unfortunately, the Corporates are doing very
little in this direction except for Maruti Limited, Hundai and a
few more in a very limited way. A lot more needs to be done
by the Corporates who can definitely assist in this noble task.
“We need to
finalize the
Action Plan”
Mr. K. K. Kapila speaks about the road safety
situation in India and how the International Road
Federation of which he is the Chairman is leading
towards better road safety achievements.
“IRF is trying to coordinate NGOs efforts.”
Special Issue – September, 2012 International Road Federation
24 © India Transport Portal
India Transport Portal: How would you improve the way to
tackle road safety issue?
Mr. K. K. Kapila: To improve the road safety management in
India, we need to finalize the Action Plan and work on it in a
coordinated manner. The tasks under the Action Plan need to
be monitored on a regular basis at a higher level and no
impediments should be allowed in its way.
The road safety management would in totality be a function
of 4 E’s i.e.: Engineering, Education, Enforcement and
Emergency Care. As far as Engineering is concerned, a lot of
work has already been done with regard to what measures
need to be adopted to make the roads forgiving. Guidelines in
this regard were issued by the Ministry of Road Transport &
Highways in April 2010, on the basis of recommendations of the
4th IRF Regional Conference.
Strict enforcement of these guidelines will help in removing the
deficiencies existing in the roads and help build safer and
forgiving roads. As far as laws are concerned, the Motor
Vehicle Act and Rules are under review, however, what is
important is that the current rules and laws should be strictly
adhered to, and their enforcement ought to be a priority.
India Transport Portal: There is a lack of road safety awareness.
How could it be addressed?
Mr. K. K. Kapila: The best way to augment and spread road
safety awareness is through messages and by showing short
promos on television network, providing big hoardings at
important locations and screen short Road Safety films in
cinema halls before a commercial film is screened.
We also need to highlight that the economic cost of road
accidents is a mindboggling figure of rupees one lac crore per
year besides the cost of 1,44,000 families directly affected by
the deaths and many more who are indirectly affected from
the trauma of accident, deaths.
Besides these 5 lac people get injured and many of them
suffer from permanent injuries. The magnitude of the problem
needs to be brought out lucidly in the public view so as to
touch their hearts thereby motivate everyone to think in terms
of contributing his bit towards the cause of road safety.
“The current rules and laws should be
strictly adhered to, and their enforcement
ought to be a priority.”
Special Issue – September, 2012 International Road Federation
25 © India Transport Portal
India Transport Portal: Road safety is a global issue, so which
priorities do we need to focus on?
Mr. K. K. Kapila: Top priority needs to be accorded to issuance
of driving licenses. Adequate care must be exercised to ensure
that a person being given a driving license is trained in a
proper driving school and has acquired sufficient knowledge
of handling of vehicle, knows all the road signs, has been
rightly groomed and after passing the tests prescribed for the
appropriate category is granted the license. In the case of
commercial drivers, it should be also ensured that they have
been trained in first-aid trauma care, which is necessary in
accordance with the Motor Vehicle Rules.
India Transport Portal: As the chairman of the IRF, you are well
positioned to benchmark countries. What kind of best
practices would you enable in India?
Mr. K. K. Kapila: The best practice which we need to bring in
India is that we must carry out road safety audits on the roads
to bring out the deficiencies in the road system for making
them forgiving. We need to take up these works on priority to
remove the deficiencies. For the new road construction work
in the country, Road Safety Audits should be carried out at the
design stage and necessary corrections made in the design
itself. This should be followed by audit at the construction
stage as well as during operation and maintenance. If we
address the concerns which emerge in the road safety audits,
we will be able to provide safer and sustainable roads which
are the need of hour.
India Transport Portal: You are also the Chairman of ICT Group
Companies (infrastructure projects). How to balance the need
for road development and making them safer?
Mr. K. K. Kapila: In this connection, I would like to mention that
we are aiming to build only safe and sustainable roads.
Building unsafe roads is a much bigger loss to the nation than
just developing roads without caring for road safety. It needs
to be appreciated that road safety component in roads is not
more than 10% of the cost of the road work. If we cut such
works, we are building roads which would entail an increase in
road accidents which ultimately costs substantially more to the
nation than the investment on safety measures. Besides, if we
do not provide the requisite road safety measures, we will be
increasing the trauma of the masses; thus hurting the ‘Aam
Admi’ the most, for whom all political parties proposes to be
working for, yet they show little or no concern about road
safety.
Back to table of contents
Mr. K. K. Kapila has done bachelor of civil engineering from M.B.M. Engineering College. He is a fellow of Institution of Engineers and a Chartered Civil Engineer. Mr. Kapila held the position of Deputy Director in International Airport Authority of India up to August 1985 before setting up ICT Pvt. Ltd. Mr. Kapila is Chairman and Managing Director of ICT Group Companies. ICT Group is a multi-disciplinary firm of international consultants, providing comprehensive professional consultancy services, for all facets of infrastructure projects. He is the first non-European unanimously elected Chairman of International Road Federation (IRF). Under the able stewardship of Mr. Kapila, IRF India Chapter has conducted Five Regional Conferences covering various aspects related to Road Safety. The IRF India Chapter with the support of the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways has embarked on the “National Mission” of reducing road fatalities by 50% by the year 2012. He has authored a large number of papers published in various journals and is the recipient of a several awards.
“The best practice which we need to bring
in India is that we must carry out Road
Safety Audits to bring out the
deficiencies.”
Special Issue – September, 2012 Central Road Research Institute
26 © India Transport Portal
India Transport Portal: What looks like a typical road victim and
how is evolving the need for road safety management?
Dr. S. Gangopadhyay: Road Safety situation in India today is
quite dismal with official figures of around 1,30,000 fatalities.
Around 10% worlds’ fatalities occur on Indian roads with just 1%
of world’s vehicle ownership.
The most disturbing aspect is that it is occurring to the most
productive age group people (15-45 years). The most
vulnerable groups are the pedestrians, cyclists and two-
wheeler riders around 70 to 90% of the total victims of road
fatalities and these groups are invariably poor also.
The attention it should have received from all stakeholders was
awfully lacking up to some years back, say 3-4 years. Only lip-
service was going on. However, this being the road safety
action Decade (2011-2020) globally, now the Government has
realized its importance. Some awareness is being generated
but the actions in some concrete form have to be framed and
implemented.
India Transport Portal: How is it possible to improve the
situation?
Dr. S. Gangopadhyay: The road safety management has to be
improved. Sundar Committee in its report has provided this in
detail. The eleven points road safety policy framed earlier by
Road ministry will have to be adopted and implemented at
national level. All the states should also make and implement
road safety action plans suited to their local needs and
environment.
As road safety personnel are awfully lacking, capacity building
in this field has to be given due priority. NGOs workings in road
safety field have to be roped in.
“Fatalities are
in the most
productive
age group
people” Dr. S. Gangopadhyay is director of the Central
Road Research Institute. He presents us two road
safety management strategies that have to be
initiated and led by the Government: Road Safety
Audits and Traffic Calming Techniques.
“The most vulnerable groups are the
pedestrians, cyclists and two-wheeler
riders around 70 to 90% of the total
victims of road fatalities and these groups
are invariably poor also.”
Special Issue – September, 2012 Central Road Research Institute
27 © India Transport Portal
The road safety awareness can best be generated when it
touches the heart of a person. People have to be sensitized
both emotionally and with facts and figures on road safety.
The best way is to make it mandatory for private popular
channels on TV to broadcast 30 seconds to 1 minute films on
road safety and also in cinema halls.
India Transport Portal: What could be a successful strategy for
India in order to tackle road safety issues?
Dr. S. Gangopadhyay: Road safety is a global issue. However,
the countries which were able to bring down fatalities did so
when their Prime Minister or Presidents i.e. top management
people owned it. Two strategies which can work in India are
Road Safety Audits and Traffic Calming Techniques.
Under Road Safety Audits, all roads new or existing are audited
from safety point of view taking into account all types of road
users. These are done at six stages i.e.:
(i) Feasibility stage,
(ii) Preliminary design stage,
(iii) Detailed design stage,
(iv) Construction stage,
(v) Pre-opening stage,
(vi) For existing roads, if it is done at earlier Stage better
results it will provide. RSA provides forgiving roads i.e.
even if the road users make mistakes, severity is tried
to be minimized.
Traffic calming techniques include:
(1) Speed breakers or humps,
(2) Road narrowing or chicanes,
(3) Pedestrian facilities,
(4) Landscaping and environmental features,
(5) Speed limits and signs.
As in India, traffic segregation is not done in the desired way,
different road users share the same road space and so speed
differential is increasing. It has made the lives of pedestrians
and cyclists quite risky.
So in my view these two measures will have to be given top
priority.
India Transport Portal: You are Director of the Central Road
Research Institute. What are your main initiatives / successes
regarding road safety?
Dr. S. Gangopadhyay: In CRRI, exclusive road safety division
was created as early as in 1986 realizing the importance of
road safety. This division is doing R&D on each and every
aspect of road safety e.g. design aspects of safe roads, driver
“Countries which were able to bring down
fatalities did so when their Prime Minister
or Presidents i.e. top management people
owned it.”
Special Issue – September, 2012 Central Road Research Institute
28 © India Transport Portal
testing, studies on vulnerable road users i.e. pedestrians,
cyclists, two wheelers, truck & bus drivers etc. Studies on
targeted road user behavior like road rage, drinking & driving
hazards of distracted driving, use of mobile phones while
driving etc. Testing of SPG drivers, testing of retro-reflectivity of
road signs, High Security Registration Plates (HSRP) etc.
CRRI is also providing consultancy services to MOSRTH, NHAI,
PWD, LDA, ADA, private industry people etc. It is also providing
training to highway professionals, enforcement agencies,
commercial drivers etc.
The main initiates / success regarding road safety are:
(i) Manual on safety in road design for MOSRTH, 1998,
(ii) Road safety audit manual adopted by IRC as Road
Safety Audit Manual IRC-88,
(iii) Traffic management studies for different cities,
(iv) Road safety audit studies for national highways,
expressways, state highways, MDR’s, ODR’s etc.,
(v) Intelligent Transport Systems,
(vi) Safety issues for vulnerable road users,
(vii) Film on no mobile when mobile.
These are some of the broad areas covered under Road
Safety
India Transport Portal: What are the latest trends regarding
design, construction and maintenance of roads (in order to
secure them and make them safer)?
Dr. S. Gangopadhyay: The latest trends regarding design and
construction of roads for making them safer is the decision of
the Government to make it mandatory that all Public Private
Partnership (PPP) projects will have to be compulsorily audited
from safety point of view.
NHAI has allotted many such projects and has appointed
safety consultants. CRRI has also to audit around 1200 km of
national highways at design and construction stages. Earlier
only externally funded projects used to be safety audited.
However, our initial experience suggests that it is a long way to
go. RSA is not understood properly and required road safety
auditors are not there in the country. CRRI is offering regular as
well as customized training programmes on the subject. We
hope it will make a difference as it is the motive of CRRI to
provide a pair of “safety eyes” to the practicing engineers and
highway professionals.
Back to table of contents
Dr. Subhamay Gangopadhyay is Director of the Central Road Research Institute. He has graduated in Civil Engineering (B.E.) from University of Calcutta and obtained post graduate degree in Transportation System Engineering from IIT, Kanpur. Dr. Gangopadhyay obtained M.Sc. & Ph.D. from the University of New Brunswick, Canada. He has more than 32 years’ experience in area of traffic engineering & transport planning, regional and urban travel demand modeling traffic flow theory and capacity analysis, road traffic safety, urban traffic congestion and environmental impact of road transport. He has coordinated wide range of traffic and transportation studies covering many cities in India. He has successfully carried out a number of significant projects i.e., comprehensive traffic and transportation study for various cities, urban road traffic and air pollution in major metropolitan cities in India, evaluation of benefits after implementation of Delhi metro and application of Intelligent Transport System in Delhi. Dr. Gangopadhyay is a Member of Technical sub group of Delhi Development Authority and in many other committees of Delhi and Central Government. He is also Chairman of IRC, IMRA, committee and Chairman of IRC, Materials Accreditation Committee and life member of Institute of Urban Transport. Dr. Gangopadhyay has published more than 55 research papers and about 50 technical reports.
Special Issue – September, 2012 Confederation of Indian Industry - Institute of Quality
29 © India Transport Portal
India Transport Portal: According to you, what is the situation
regarding the road safety in India, today? Does it get the
attention that it deserved from all stakeholders?
Mr. N. Kumar: The recent statistics reveals that almost 1.42 lakh
people were killed on Indian road crashes in 2011. This is an
increase over 80,000 from 2010. In 2009 the road accident
fatalities recorded 1.25 lakhs and 1.34 lakhs in 2010. The Ministry
of Road Transport & Highways is also in the process of planning
a Road Safety Action Plan. The Action Plan would be
expected to recognize the need for a coherent, multi-sectorial
and integrated approach. It envisages several concrete
initiatives to be taken up to upgrade vehicle safety standards,
to bring about improvement in driving license system,
accidents data collection and evolution system launching
capacity building programmes.
Recognizing the vital importance of quick medical assistance,
the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways under the
Scheme “National Highways Accident Relief Service Scheme”
has provided hundreds of cranes and ambulances to states,
UTs and NGOs for relief and rescue measures. The Ministry has
a scheme for establishment of trauma care facilities along
national highways to provide the competent medical
assistance within the shortest possible time. India is signatory to
the decade for action declaration by the United Nations to
reduce death 50% by 2020.
India Transport Portal: According to some studies, road traffic
injuries are in 2004 the ninth cause for disease or injury.
Forecasts predict road traffic injuries will rank fifth in 2030. Road
safety future seems gloomy…
Mr. N. Kumar: The road safety challenges and opportunities
are high in India since the accidents ratio is comparatively
increasing; vehicle volume is also increasing every year. ISO
39001 is launched on road traffic management; hence the
seriousness on road safety is now taken up by the corporates
as a requirement rather than a CSR activity. The road safety
initiative is to make the passenger (people moving people)
“Road Safety
is a corporate
issue”
Mr. N. Kumar is Chairman of the Confederation of
Indian Industry – Institute of Quality. He explains
us how corporates could and should be involved
in a massive road safety initiative led by his
organization.
“Recognizing the vital importance of quick
medical assistance, the Ministry of Road
Transport and Highways has provided
hundreds of cranes and ambulances to
states, UTs and NGO for relief and rescue
measures.”
Special Issue – September, 2012 Confederation of Indian Industry - Institute of Quality
30 © India Transport Portal
and goods (people moving goods) transportation safe in
India. Therefore Safe Fleets program propose to develop
Indian industry towards safe fleet operations through training
and consulting approach.
The program involves adoption of the voluntary code for
implementing Road Transport Safety Management System
(RTSMS), which includes elements such as driver management,
vehicle management, journey management and contractor
management. This voluntary code shall be included in the ISO
39001 standard during RTSMS development with corporates.
India Transport Portal: Besides emotional/humanitarian
aspects, what is the economic cost of the lack of road safety
in India?
Mr. N. Kumar: India has a rural road network of over 3,000,000
km, and urban roads total more than 250,000 km. The national
highways, with a total length of 65,569 km, serve as the arterial
network across the country. Roads carry about 61% of the
freight and 85% of the passenger traffic. Highways total about
66,000 km (2% of all roads) and carry 40% of the road traffic.
With more than 40 million vehicles using India’s roads, therefore
are taking a great toll, killing over 140,000 people each year,
with over one third of a million victims requiring hospital
treatment. The current scenario of commercial accidents are
more than 60% in India and 60% of breadwinners are killed in
these accidents. These crashes not only cause considerable
suffering, they also have a major impact on the country’s
economy, costing more than 3 per cents of India’s GDP every
year.
India Transport Portal: Under Road Safety Initiative, CII -
Institute of Quality launched an initiative called “Safe Fleets”.
Present us of this initiative?
Mr. N. Kumar: CII - Institute of Quality is an international center
of excellence for training and development on all aspects of
competitiveness through quality.
CII - Institute of Quality has been promoting TQM, business
excellence, TPM, lean, business excellence and many other
initiatives which are of great importance to Indian industry. To
support the industry on additional areas such as road safety
initiative, road safety program called Safe Fleets, was initiated
with an aim of promoting the road safety as a management
system. This is a systematic step by step approach towards
safer roads basically by the users, one of the main stake
holders of a big picture.
“The Program involves adoption of the
voluntary code for implementing Road
Transport Safety Management System,
which includes elements such as driver
management, vehicle management,
journey management and contractor
management.”
Special Issue – September, 2012 Confederation of Indian Industry - Institute of Quality
31 © India Transport Portal
To make this together with mass movement, CII-IQ Shell and
GRSP (Global Road Safety Partnership) and other likeminded
organizations are working for spreading this movement in
India. The vision of Safe Fleets is to make a significant
contribution in the corporate world to achieve a sustainable
reduction of the unacceptable toll of deaths and injuries from
road crashes in India.
The objectives were as follows when we began:
Voluntary partnership formed between CII, Shell and
GRSP for promoting road safety,
A comprehensive programme to build road safety
management capability among corporates and
transporters,
Creation of road transportation safety management
curriculum (voluntary standard) to enhance the long-
term capacity of institutions,
The corporates that have successfully implemented
the Safe Fleets programme to be invited to share
their best practices,
Representatives of Government, NGOs, road traffic
experts and other stakeholders to be involved in this
initiative for the long-term sustainability of the
initiative.
Some of the key results achieved by the team are as follows in
the last 3 years:
Signed a MoU with Government of Karnataka for
road safety initiatives in Karnataka. Transport dept. of
other state Govts. such as Delhi, Tamil Nadu &
Maharashtra have also shown interest on this initiative
to join our Safe Fleets program,
Voluntary code for people moving people was
launched in 2010 at our IQ Anniversary day and
voluntary code for people moving cargo is now
ready for launch,
More than 30 organizations have signed up to Safe
Fleets and accepted the voluntary standard which
widens our current influence is approximately on 2500
vehicles across Bangalore, Hyderabad, Chennai and
Delhi,
Study report on mines transportation at Hospet and
Bellary a joint initiative of Govt. of Karnataka for
improvement,
Organized many Safe Fleets open programs;
showcased at few related exhibitions and many in-
house programmes for promotion of road safety
across Bangalore, Mumbai and Delhi,
To reduce the commercial transport accidents and
to support Safety in goods transportation, CII-Institute
of Quality initiated and prepared a voluntary
standard for goods transportation industry. This is with
“The vision of Safe fleets is to make a
significant contribution in the corporate
world to achieve a sustainable reduction
of the unacceptable toll of deaths and
injuries from road crashes in India.”
Special Issue – September, 2012 Confederation of Indian Industry - Institute of Quality
32 © India Transport Portal
the support and suggestions of corporates,
transporters, associations and legislators on a
common forum and evolved a voluntary road safety
standard for the transportation of goods,
The value added voluntary code was developed
with the brainstorming sessions in Bangalore, Mumbai
and Delhi with many stake holders like regulators,
transporters, corporate houses etc. This voluntary
code consists of 4 main quadrants namely Driver
Management, Contractor Management, Vehicle
Management and Journey Management which
leads to the road safety management system,
Creating awareness and working on the same line,
CII-IQ organized many awareness seminars and
conferences to take the initiative further and to
spread the message of road safety activities.
CII- IQ has recently organized a core committee with
representatives from likeminded corporates and road
safety experts from India to discuss and consider a
concrete road safety action plan in India. During the
meeting we arrived at a strong and motivated action
plan on the joint leadership of the participated
organizations. We will move forward on the agenda
with corporates support on this initiative.
India Transport Portal: This initiative aims to tackle the
transport/logistics industry in India among corporates and
transporters. Is it the only priority according to you?
Mr. N. Kumar: Fatigue and road user behavior is the top priority
to be addressed. More than 70 lakhs trucks are plying on the
highways and there are not much of basic amenities such as
toilets, drinking water, rest places, bathing facilities, recreation
places, truck parking places with proper security for the drivers,
even if they are there, they are inadequate on the Indian
national highways. These drivers are subjected to stress and
fatigue leading to more road accidents.
The truck drivers are crucial to implement traffic rules. There is
dearth of truck driving schools in India which is why the drivers
lack basic knowledge on road safety. Indian logistics sector
badly needs skilled workers. For example, a recent study done
by Confederation of Indian Industry road freight segment
shows that nearly 51 million truck drivers would be needed by
2015.
The estimates indicate that currently India has approximately 3
million truck drivers for medium and heavy commercial
vehicles. Even if 50 per cent of all drivers in India are to be
trained, almost 125 institutes of the size and scale of the
existing in Namakkal will be required in the next 7-8 years.
“A recent study done by Confederation of
Indian Industry road freight segment
shows that nearly 51 million truck drivers
would be needed by 2015.”
Special Issue – September, 2012 Confederation of Indian Industry - Institute of Quality
33 © India Transport Portal
India Transport Portal: The truck sector in India is highly
fragmented. Most of the drivers own their trucks and only 6% of
companies have more than 20 trucks. Without strong
Government regulations, it should be difficult to promote and
spread road safety awareness among transporters…
Mr. N. Kumar: The ratio of accidents involving goods/freight
carrier in India is about 23% by type of motor vehicle as per
typical data available with research wing Ministry of Road
Transport and Highways. CII-IQ works with corporates,
transporters and fleet operators on this initiative. CII-IQ
conducted fleet operators’ awareness programs involving bus
operators, taxi operators, and truck operators etc. to take a
pledge on this initiative to create safer roads. CII-IQ also works
with All India motor congress truckers association on this
initiative. Further to spread the message of road safety
activities, with truckers’ community road safety Initiative was
showcased in the Namakkal transport show “Fiesta 2011”and
International Special Vehicles show at Hyderabad in March
2011. Namakkal being the Hub for the truckers this initiative
was showcased in the Namakkal transport show which was
very successful.
India Transport Portal: As you focus on corporates and their
best practices, could you give some examples of successful
initiatives that have been enabled among corporates?
Mr. N. Kumar: CII - Institute of Quality has conducted
programmes in many corporates such as Thomson Reuters,
Infosys, Wipro, Sequel Logistics and many more. This has
resulted influencing more than 3500 vehicles of these
corporates including passenger and goods transportation.
Successful implementation of fleet safety requires a top-down
management approach. The company’s policy must not only
reflect the importance of fleet safety but also the commitment
of the management. The fleet safety must be fully integrated
in the organization and management systems. It needs to
become an integral part of the company’s culture and be
one of the key drivers for continuous performance
improvement through the implementation of key performance
indicators.
The top management should demonstrate visible leadership
and commitment to road safety to the whole organization
including its transport contractors and all stakeholders.
Managers must accept individual responsibility and
accountability for effective communication, support and
implementation of organization’s road safety management
systems, policies and requirements.
Back to table of contents
Mr. N. Kumar is the Vice Chairman of Sanmar, a family owned conglomerate. He is also the Honorary Consul General of Greece in Chennai. He is on the board of various public companies and carries with him vast experience in the sphere of technology, management and finance. As a spokesman of Industry and Trade, Mr. Kumar was past President of Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and has participated in various other apex bodies. He is Chairman of the Confederation of Indian Industry - Institute for Quality. The Institute is launching Safe Fleets, a massive Road Safety initiative which involves corporates. Mr. Kumar is an engineering graduate from Anna University, Chennai.
“The company’s policy must not only
reflect the importance of fleet safety but
also the commitment of the management.
It needs to become an integral part of the
company’s culture and be one of the key
drivers for continuous performance
improvement.”
Special Issue – September, 2012 Institute of Road Traffic Education
34 © India Transport Portal
India Transport Portal: According to you, how is the road safety
situation evolving in India? You have been critical with regard
to the Government initiatives. Do you see encouraging
developments?
Dr. Rohit Baluja: The road safety situation in India is nothing
short of a crisis. With staggering 1,40,000 deaths and an
estimated 1.8 million serious injuries in 2011, these figures are
rising at 5.5% annually. Most unfortunately, at the moment I do
not see any encouraging developments to scientifically tackle
this grave issue.
India Transport Portal: You claim for an update of the Indian
Motor Vehicles Act and to compel with the UN Convention of
1968. What kind of amendment would you like to be adopted?
Dr. Rohit Baluja: The UN Conventions of 1949 and 1968 provide
the basis of uniformity and need based suggested legislation
through a comprehensive partnered document worked
together by over 40 developed nations. These have been now
supported by resolutions which provide further guidelines
based upon which the member nations can amend their
legislations as well as standards related to traffic control
devices. In Indian context: The Central Motor Vehicles Rules
and the Rules of the Rules Regulations along with the
standards defined by the IRC should be ratified to the
conventions as per Indian conditions and requirements.
India Transport Portal: According to you, what should be the
best way / argument to spread awareness regarding road
safety (economic cost, emotional/humanitarian etc.)?
Dr. Rohit Baluja: Road deaths and injuries are treated by the
bureaucratic and political leadership as statistics. Behind each
statistic is a human being and behind each person is a
shattered family. It is important for each person who is a
decision maker in any of the respective fields of transportation,
roads, vehicle, health, enforcement, oil industry and insurance
should try to imagine the pain and agony faced by victims of
road crashes, and then takes requisite decisions.
“Road deaths
are treated as
statistics”
Roads and highways could be some No Man’s
Lands but it is not to mention the Dr. Rohit Baluja
Institute of Road Traffic Education: the first
citizen's initiative to improve traffic conditions.
“Behind each statistic is a human being
and behind each person is a shattered
family.”
Special Issue – September, 2012 Institute of Road Traffic Education
35 © India Transport Portal
India Transport Portal: Road safety is a global issue: driver
behavior, safety devices, road design, traffic signalization etc.
According to you, what is the top priority?
Dr. Rohit Baluja: Road safety is a global issue alright, but should
begin as the basic issue for each city, district, state and
country.
There can be no prioritization: to begin with I would like to
clarify that road safety in isolation has no bearing. Roads are
unsafe due to inadequacies in the following domains:
legislation and standards to begin with. Then follows the basis
of traffic engineering, the need based and scientific
application of which forms the safe movement of traffic.
If drivers are not trained and assessed in a desired manner, it
simply amounts to handing over arms to untrained persons. To
ensure that the traffic moves as per stipulated legislations and
codes, the importance of enforcement is supreme. So that
after crashes have occurred, the victims are saved from
serious and fatal injuries the area of rescue, first aid, and
trauma care are crucial.
India Transport Portal: A vast majority of Indian crash fatalities
are vulnerable road users. How to improve a better human-
road interface? There is a rising trend towards technical
answers such as Intelligent Traffic System or safety devices.
Dr. Rohit Baluja: ITS is the way forward for all motorized nations.
However it is important to understand that before the ITS is
applied, it is important to ensure that the roads are properly
traffic engineered. ITS is taking the twentieth step, wherein all
other steps from one to nineteen of traffic engineering and
safety audits must be first put in place.
Yes, 86 % of road crash causalities are those of the vulnerable
road users. These are primarily because of poor and
inadequate infrastructure and lack of strategic enforcement.
Effective remedial measures to prevent road crashes can only
be initiated once the factual causes and consequences
behind such crashes are known. This can only happen when
the road crashes are scientifically investigated. Road Safety
begins from such data and information, which is major
handicap in Indian conditions.
“Road safety is a global issue, but should
begin as the basic issue for each city,
district, state and country. There can be
no prioritization: To begin with I would
like to clarify that Road safety in isolation
has no bearing.”
Special Issue – September, 2012 Institute of Road Traffic Education
36 © India Transport Portal
India Transport Portal: Please present us the Institute of Road
Traffic Education and your main achievements / Initiatives?
Dr. Rohit Baluja: The Institute of Road Traffic Education (IRTE) a
research based not-for-profit organization, has embarked on
the mission of capacity building of traffic management
organizations across the developing world.
These organizations may be both in Government or private
sector who deal with the domains of road crash investigation,
traffic engineering, development of legislation and standards,
driver training and assessment and post-crash management.
Inspired by the successful research based successful initiatives
which include: Journey Risk Management (JRM), Enforcement
Technology Vehicles (Interceptors), Mobile Crash Investigation
Laboratory (CrashLab), Students Traffic Volunteers Scholarship
Scheme (STVS), road safety education programme for schools
(School Conclave), highway literacy programme, interactive
bottom up approach in driver training, training systems in road
crash investigation, the IRTE has now set up the College of
Traffic Management (CTM) in the NCR Delhi.
This College has four working schools namely: School for Traffic
Engineering, School of Enforcement, School of Driver Training,
School of Public Health and Road Safety, and has now
become the focal point for sharing and learning in all the
areas. These investments by IRTE are no short of sowing seeds
of the development of safety management of roads for the
future. Trees take time to grow, and when they fully mature,
they provide shelter and fruits for generations ahead.
India Transport Portal: What is your feedback regarding the
driver trainings you offer? Do you feel there is road safety
awareness among drivers / truckers / transport corporates?
Dr. Rohit Baluja: The driver training programmes offered by the
IRTE are fully based upon the research being carried out by our
traffic engineering and enforcement schools. The tools,
systems and modules have been developed on a bottom-up-
approach.
IRTE’s in-depth research on camera has adequately revealed
that non-standard and non-uniform road geometrics and
faulty traffic engineering systems on our highways and urban
roads has led to a fall in road user behavior which is
adequately demonstrated by the large extent of serious
violations of the road related legislation. Since the
enforcement systems in the country are still largely
rudimentary, traffic violations to the large extent are not
recognized by the enforcement agency which is the police.
Michelin interview
“IRTE’s in-depth research on camera has
adequately revealed that non-standard
and non-uniform road geometrics and
faulty traffic engineering systems on our
highways and urban roads has led to a fall
in road user behavior.”
Special Issue – September, 2012 Institute of Road Traffic Education
37 © India Transport Portal
The bottom-up approach has been defined by IRTE as
understanding the cause of violations through scientific
research - including video recording, accident investigation,
safety audits of roads and related environments, interviews of
drivers and road user - and integrating the research findings
with standards and legislation to develop tools and systems of
training to meet the needs of drivers in different categories.
All our systems are duly audited. Each training programme is
also supported by pre and post assessments to ensure that
both the employed drivers and those who drive their own
vehicles understand the aspects of legislation and defensive
driving in the conditions and domain they drive. There is no
doubt that road safety awareness has much increased of
each driver who has been trained by the IRTE.
Back to table of contents
Dr. Rohit Baluja is the President of the Institute of Road Traffic Education (IRTE). He has a doctorate in civil engineering from the University of Birmingham. He is a member of the United Nations Road Safety Collaboration representing India, as well a Member of the Commission for Global Road safety representing Asia. He is contributing towards training and capacity building in the areas of traffic policing, accident investigation, driver training, traffic engineering and road safety management. IRTE is a non-profit organization that was the first recipient of the National Award for Road Safety by the Government of India.
Special Issue – September, 2012 Karnataka Government advisor
© India Transport Portal 22
India Transport Portal: As an academic, how would you
comment the road safety situation in India today?
Prof. M.N. Sreehari: India witnesses the highest number of road
crash deaths in the world and the number of such incidents is
growing at an alarming rate. Traffic management to mitigate
accidents requires attention from several collective entities
such as planners, decision makers and citizens.
Although the number of vehicles on Indian roads is not high
the main cause for accidents can be attributed to rash and
negligent driving, haphazard driving habits, and careless
attitude towards other road users such as bicyclists and
pedestrians. Due to this, the accidents are on rise and can
only deteriorate with the increase in number of vehicle and
speed.
While Government agencies have earmarked adequate
finances to plan and practice road safety initiatives, it
however has not percolated enough to make any positive
impact. It appears that the proposed measure to mitigate
accidents are not focused and dealt at the micro-level. In
fact, a good portion of the total GDP (about 3 to 5 percent)
goes towards preventing road crashes. Financial allocation
alone is insufficient but requires a collective effort in planning,
study & research of road safety measures, public awareness
and involvement of NGOs are critical in alleviating traffic
issues.
India Transport Portal: What kind of measures should be taken
in order to improve the situation? ?
Prof. M.N. Sreehari: In order to see any major improvement in
road safety there is a strong need for co-operation of all stake
holders that includes Government & non-Government
agencies. It is judicious for the Government agencies to
allocate small budget to take preemptive measures and
“Financial
allocation
alone is
insufficient”
Prof. M.N. Sreehari gives us his academics insights
on road safety issues. He also told us what he
learnt from the Karnataka initiatives he used to
enhance as a Government Advisor.
“Public awareness and involvement of
NGOs are critical in alleviating traffic
issues.”
Special Issue – September, 2012 Karnataka Government advisor
39 © India Transport Portal
enforce them rather than spending large amount towards
compensation, social costs and other in-tangible costs. In
addition, non-Government agencies can contribute in the
enforcement phase by introducing measures such as traffic
awareness, training and education, which can significantly
improve the overall system.
Government agencies can bring in additional laws and
regulations to improve quality of drivers behind wheels. For
instance, it can regulate quality of drivers through issuance of
driving licenses: permit users that are well trained and
educated about road safety rather than issuing driving permits
based on simple tests. Additional measures must be put in
place to ensure quality of existing drivers is maintained. For
instance, every year classes and tests must be conducted
mandatorily for public vehicle drivers and once in five years for
others.
Secondly, the classes and training material must be updated
regularly to cover advancements in technology. For example
drivers must be educated about the impact of using cell
phones and texting while driving on road safety.
Third, mandatory vehicle inspection must be administered
once in two years to determine the health of vehicles.
Fourth, enforcement of regulations through cancellation of
license, levying heavy fines, additional traffic classes, and
community service to offenders are the needed in India.
On a longer plan, other measures like ensuring good road
surface condition, adequate and appropriate road sign will
reduce the number of accidents. Also allocating additional
resources to enforcing authorities can mitigate accidents.
Good driving habits and road safety education program must
be conducted periodically and repeatedly by Government
and NGOs for target age group of 18 to 30 years of drivers as
they cause almost 55 percent of accidents.
India Transport Portal: How to spread road safety awareness?
Prof. M.N. Sreehari: Road safety awareness programmes must
include case studies that can be narrated preferably from
those involved in a collision. This may involve perspectives from
the victim, individual causing the accident and enforcement
officer investigating the collision. Informative traffic collision
awareness information must be communicated to the public
through theatres, training programs, advertisements, and
social networking websites.
“Mandatory vehicle inspection must be
administered once in two years to
determine the health of vehicles.”
Special Issue – September, 2012 Karnataka Government advisor
40 © India Transport Portal
The message of road safety must be conveyed emotionally on
humanitarian grounds which has higher rate of information
decimation and comprehension. Citizen participation in local
traffic management programs must be encouraged. In
addition, traffic safety must be taught and inculcated in
schools and university education.
Every road user thinks that he is always right and the mistake is
from the other road user as he fails to perceive his mistakes.
Drivers are most time agnostic and do not consider the
economic loss, loss to life, property etc., which are secondary
to him.
India Transport Portal: As an advisor to Government of
Karnataka, could you present us some road safety initiatives
that are managed in Karnataka?
Prof. M.N. Sreehari: As an advisor to Government, I am
involved in implementing and carrying out number of road
safety awareness programs like, safe route to schools, safe
vehicle and safer roads carried out successfully with a marked
success. Being the founder chairman for Traffic Engineers &
Safety Trainers (TEST), an NGO working with the motto Reach
Home Safe, educated more than four lakh road users and
drivers of all class of vehicles. Results from these programs were
positive. I also have authored, perhaps the first of its kind in
India, a road safety manual in the year 1999.
B-TRAC (an initiative from Bangalore Traffic Police) is very much
effective and a self-imposed traffic warden organization was
initiated. This program is highly effective in carrying out various
road safety programs which includes education and
enforcement.
In traffic control and management there is a need to
introduce ITS (Intelligent Transportation System). To validate the
effectiveness it is very important to carry out before and after
studies (BAA). This will help to understand the effectiveness of
the program for its validation, fine tune or moderate
procedures.
Educating the rural population on road safety at primary
teaching schools and at adult level programs is in practice.
Over all these programs practiced in Karnataka is yielding
satisfactory levels and justified by the reduction in the number
of accidents and its rate over the years. Though this number
cannot be brought to zero it can however keep a check on
the collision rate with increase in vehicular growth. Safe roads
and zero accidents, though is almost impossible to reach, but
moving towards this goal is always a positive note. I am sure
Karnataka is reaching this goal in a systematic way, although
slowly, it has a long way to go.
“There is a need to introduce ITS. To
validate the effectiveness it is very
important to carry out before and after
studies (BAA). This will help to understand
the effectiveness of the program for its
validation, fine tune or moderate
procedures.”
Special Issue – September, 2012 Karnataka Government advisor
41 © India Transport Portal
India Transport Portal: Road safety is a global issue that
includes several aspects. Does it need a global approach?
Prof. M.N Sreehari: Road safety is no doubt a global issue and
also a challenge. Every city or urban area has its own
indigenous methods to achieve satisfactory levels through
local area traffic management initiatives. One of the main
and most un-predictable road safety issues is the driver
behavior, which is situational and may vary significantly in a
population.
This one is really challenging as most of the accidents are
attributed to this factor. A driver may behave normal and
follow all rules and regulations during the test to obtain the
license, but while driving due to his pre-occupied mental
status, violates all regulations in spite of knowing it is wrong.
This results in accidents and many times he will not survive to
understand the mistake. This phenomenon is a threat to road
safety. It is estimated that more than 90% of road crashes are
due to human error in spite of qualifying the driving test to
obtain the license. This mismatch of behavior while driving and
while obtaining license do cause accidents.
Due to this problem, there is a need for automation using ITS,
design to suit & build the vehicles including vehicle dynamics
and tire technology. The road grip factor is very important
during an accident while applying brakes.
Road attributes including geometry, surface condition,
together with intelligent traffic control & management are the
solutions to mitigate the accident rate and prevention of
accidents.
In my opinion an intelligent vehicle to manage and control all
the even and odd situations while driving is very important so
as to absolve all the errors of the driver to prevent an
accident.
Back to table of contents
Prof. M.N. Sreehari is working as Professor for Post-graduate studies for Highway Technology. Previously, he was working at MSR Institute of Technology as professor before joining to RV College of Engineering, Bangalore. In the year 2004, he became the advisor to Government of Karnataka, for traffic, transportation & infrastructure & an expert member to Bangalore infrastructure development. He has been an advisor to Government of Maharashtra and Government of Goa for mono-rail project for Road connectivity works under JnNURM schemes respectively. He has worked as traffic engineering advisor & consultant. In the year 2000 he started Consortia of Infrastructure Engineers, serving consultancy services in traffic & transportation engineering & has been the chief executive officer of this organization presently. He is the founder chairman of the NGO Traffic Engineers & Safety Trainers. He also is member of bodies like Institution of Engineers, Indian Roads Congress, Indian Road Transport, Indian Society of Technical education etc. Prof.M.N. Sreehari has received several awards & honors.
Special Issue – September, 2012 ArriveSAFE
42 © India Transport Portal
India Transport Portal: Last year, you explained that road safety
has not been getting the attention that it deserved but that
situation was changing. Do you confirm that latest
developments are on an encouraging trend?
Mr. S. Sidhu: Sadly it still is not the case. Compare it with Indian
preparations for the Olympics Games, we all very well know
that our contingent goes there as a “resigned” force. It reflects
in our body language and every time the scenario remains just
the same. One of the most populous county and still we just
get a medal or two. This forsake attitude has influenced our
behavior and the same reflects on our approach towards
Road Safety.
On 11 May 2011, the Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011-
2020 was launched in more than 100 countries, with one goal:
to prevent five million road traffic deaths globally by 2020.
Moving from the Global Plan for the Decade to national
action, many countries have taken measures towards
improving road safety, either by developing national plans for
the Decade (e.g. Australia, Mexico, the Philippines);
introducing new laws (e.g. Chile, China, France, Honduras); or
increasing enforcement of existing legislation (e.g. Brazil,
Cambodia, the Russian Federation), among other concrete
actions. The recent UN General Assembly resolution on global
road safety sponsored by more than 80 countries gives further
impetus to the Decade by calling on countries to implement
road safety activities in each of the five pillars of the Global
Plan.
While globally the commitment has been intensified, we are
once again found napping. More than one year has gone
and we still have to put a plan in place. Probably, we think a
decade is a long time because we are a country used to five-
year plans. Except for one forsake closed-door meeting of
hundred odd people nothing has happened.
“We are once
again found
napping”
“Except for one forsake closed-door
meeting of hundred odd people nothing
has happened.”
Mr. Harman Singh Sidhu is well positioned to
speak about road safety. With his Non-
Government Organization, ArriveSAFE, he is
constantly fighting to improve road conditions.
Special Issue – September, 2012 ArriveSAFE
43 © India Transport Portal
Deaths due to road accidents in the country have increased
by 2.2% during 2011 over 2010. The graph could sadly go
further up with increased number of vehicles being pushed on
to the road and the new wider roads facilitating vehicles to
move faster.
“India has just one per cent of the world’s vehicles but ten per
cent of the world’s traffic crashes” and “India’s dubious
distinction of highest road crash fatalities in the world” are two
most frequently used phrases by the media, both Indian and
International but this doesn’t scare us.
There are some encouraging signs; like the pilot of RS10 project
in Jalandhar, Punjab and Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh has
started to pay off. The World Health Organization, Global Road
Safety Partnership with ArriveSAFE as their local partners and
John Hopkins University through the Ministry of Health and
Family Welfare, Government of India, is implementing the
Bloomberg Philanthropies funded project. In Jalandhar, the
program is aimed to check drunken driving and speeding and
in Hyderabad the objective is to encourage use of helmets
and check drunken driving. The road casualties have been
brought down to half in nearly one year, which is a very clear
indicator that we can save lives if we work with a goal in mind.
India Transport Portal: According to you, what would be the
best way to improve the road safety situation?
Mr. S. Sidhu: Once again, I would like to remind, it’s the
Decade of Action for Road Safety. The agencies like WHO,
GRSP, World Bank under the UN Road Safety Collaboration
have painstakingly worked on “Good Practices Manuals” and
they are sharing it for free. All we need to do is follow the
trodden path and it cannot get simpler than that. These
manuals provide detailed information ranging from macro
“practical guidance for strengthening country road safety
institutional and management capacity” to micro “increased
helmet use” level.
Road traffic injuries are predictable and preventable.
Experience suggests that an adequately funded lead agency
and a national plan or strategy with measureable targets is
crucial components of a sustainable response to road safety.
The Five Pillars of Road Safety clearly define the interventions
that work. This include incorporating road safety features into
land-use, urban planning and transport planning; designing
safer roads; improving the safety features of vehicles;
promoting public transport; effective enforcement by the
traffic police and improving post-crash care for victims of road
crashes.
“The agencies like WHO, GRSP, World
Bank under the UN Road Safety
Collaboration have worked on “Good
Practices Manuals”. All we need to do is
follow the trodden path and it cannot get
simpler than that.”
Special Issue – September, 2012 ArriveSAFE
44 © India Transport Portal
Public awareness campaigns funded by the corporate world
and supported by NGOs would also play an important role in
supporting the enforcement of legislative measures, by
increasing awareness amongst the road users.
Traffic safety is a complex and multidimensional problem and
needs broad knowledge to be dealt with. It is high time that
we have a separate Ministry of Road Safety or a powerful
dedicated and result oriented agency at the National level
that coordinates with all the concerned stakeholders.
At the same time, some of the interventions are very basic and
no special expertise is needed in implementing them. Isn’t it
criminal, a hearing-impaired school bus driver happens to be a
habitual rash driver, the students report to the school principal
but still he continues with his job? He overtakes a vehicle on an
unmanned railway crossing and the bus is hit by a train killing
four girls aged between 10-14. Now, after the damage is done
the Deputy Commissioner promises stern action. As usual,
nothing would happen and everyone would go scot-free after
an “enquiry”.
We need “the will to improve” with a top down approach.
India Transport Portal: Please explain us what is the ArriveSAFE
role in this issue? How are you working with other NGOs and
stakeholders?
Mr. S. Sidhu: I have firsthand experience of a Road Traffic Injury
for nearly 16 years that left me confined to a wheelchair and
have seen the world change around me. I consider myself
lucky to have survived this life altering crash. ArriveSAFE came
into being because I want everyone arrives home safe every
day.
Imagine! A daily wageworker, a father of four walks down to
his place of work and saves every possible rupee to send his
kids to school. One day he is crushed by a speeding truck and
is crippled, loses his work, takes loan for treatment but dies
after 3 months. He leaves behind a traumatized family buried
under the pressure of loan repayment. His wife cannot feed
the children forget about their education. They are forced to
work as child labor, hence all dream shattered. This is
happening with some family every few minute in our country.
See this at a macro level; 2-3% of GDPs is lost just due to these
avoidable road crashes. A cut on road crashes with the
identified and tested cost efficient interventions can definitely
make us a stronger economy.
“It is high time that we have a separate
Ministry of Road Safety or a powerful
dedicated and result oriented agency at
the National level all.”
Special Issue – September, 2012 ArriveSAFE
45 © India Transport Portal
Some of the projects we are working on:
1) RS10 project - The Bloomberg Philanthropies has funded the
consortium of WHO (World Health Organization), GRSP (Global
Road Safety Partnership), John Hopkins University, World Bank
and EMBARQ to expand road safety to 10 low- or middle-
income countries. Dubbed the Road Safety in 10 Countries
Project (or RS10 for short), this initiative will include a road
traffic injury prevention component in 10 countries: Brazil,
Cambodia, China, Egypt, India, Kenya, Mexico, Russian
Federation, Turkey and Viet Nam. Additionally, it focuses on
trauma care in India and Kenya. The five-year project started
in 2010 and would run till 2014.
The pilot project is being done in Jalandhar, Punjab with focus
on reducing drunken driving and speeding and in Hyderabad
for reducing drunken driving and increasing helmet wearing,
through capacity building among law enforcement officials
and social marketing campaigns. We are working with these
International agencies in Punjab to implement the project.
2) Data Collection on Road Crashes - As reaffirmed in the "First
Global Ministerial Conference on Road Safety" in Moscow,
data led approach is required to focus on targeted
interventions and to know their results. We are upgrading the
existing system to improve on the crash data collection system.
We have developed a road crash data collection with an
automated evaluation system for PRBDB (Punjab Roads and
Bridges Development Board), a World Bank funded project.
Shortly, we will be starting training sessions for the Punjab Police
so they can start using the system.
3) Strengthening Enforcement – We are working closely with
the police units so the information of traffic violations and
traffic violators is analyzed not just collected. This helps us
lobby with the police authorities to focus more on offences like
over speeding, drunken-driving etc. that cause danger to the
road users than on offences like not carrying driving license.
This would ultimately result in lesser crashes.
4) Educating License Seekers – It is a well-known fact that we
do not have any easy-to-understand quality educational
content and a non-existent theoretical and practical testing
system.
We are working with the Haryana Police is strengthening the
licensing system by developing and delivering multimedia
lectures on safe and responsible driving. After the knowledge is
imparted to these would-be drivers their knowledge level is
tested through computerized multiple choice questions to
ensure they are good enough to go for the road test.
“We have developed a road crash data
collection with an automated evaluation
system for PRBDB (Punjab Roads and
Bridges Development Board). Shortly, the
Punjab Police can start using the system.”
Special Issue – September, 2012 ArriveSAFE
46 © India Transport Portal
5) Advocacy and awareness campaigns - To draw the
attention of decision makers, especially politicians and public
in general. We meet politicians in India and countries like
Canada having a sizable population of people of Indian origin
so road safety is given the importance it deserves:
Making helmets mandatory for women riders of two-
wheelers,
Issuing tickets (challans) to drivers if they are using
vehicles with weak/old tyres, without using side
mirrors,
Removal of liquor vends set-up along the roads,
Improved public transport system,
Giving lectures and presentations on road safety to
the staff of corporate houses. Developing road safety
campaigns for corporate houses so they can
implement/run them in the localities or villages
around their plants.
Studying the "good practices manuals" on road
safety developed by organizations like GRSP, FIA
Foundation and WHO.
Further, to plan and coordinate how these practices
can be implemented seamlessly to the existing Indian
system.
India Transport Portal: According to you, what should be the
best way and argument in order to spread awareness
regarding road safety (economic cost,
emotional/humanitarian etc.)?
Mr. S. Sidhu: It is a mix of all these, economic, social, physical,
psychological and emotional devastation resulting from the
avoidable road crashes taking place every minute on our
roads.
While quantitative information and data analysis are vital to
describe the scale and cost of death and injury to the
planners, the emotional toll of road traffic crashes upon victims
and their families helps in garnering public support to the
cause. Combined, they deepen awareness of the impact and
repercussions of road traffic crashes and will provide a
powerful and effective tool to inspire change.
Demonstrating the need of victims and their families for
economic, legal and emotional support inspired the media to
keep covering the impact of road crashes. This also motivates
victims and their families to create a forum for global activism
on road safety.
“Demonstrating the need of victims and
their families for economic, legal and
emotional support inspired the media to
keep covering the impact of road
crashes.”
Special Issue – September, 2012 ArriveSAFE
47 © India Transport Portal
India Transport Portal: According to you what should be the
Government priorities?
Mr. S. Sidhu: Road safety, a multidimensional issue needs an
orchestrated action from all the stakeholders.
I feel the top priority should be given to the issues that can be
addressed the quickest. Making roads safe should be high on
the agenda because even if the road users make a mistake,
the road is forgiving not punishing. Just yesterday, there was a
news item “Unmarked speed breaker kills birthday boy”. Even
the lowest level official of the concerned department
[Municipal Corporation] in this case would know that it should
be marked.
Indians have just moved on to cars in the last few years and
they are unaware of how important the condition of vehicle is
for their safety. Ensuring good health of tyres, usage of side
and rear view mirrors, using restraints like seat belts, child safety
seats, helmets and improved visibility can save many lives and
it takes no time but gives assured results.
Combining Road Safety and Environment, I feel switching on
to “Green Tyres” that reduce carbon emission and improve
safety because of low rolling resistance and road grip would
be one good step forward. The Government should make it
mandatory.
Back to table of contents
Harman Singh Sidhu has dedicated his life for the cause of Road Safety and his work has been recognized by various National and International organizations like the World Health Organization and United Nations. ArriveSAFE is a registered Non-Government Organization and has been working to improve key aspects of Road Safety in India. It started its operations from Chandigarh in 2003. ArriveSAFE emerged out of Harman Singh Sidhu’s harrowing personal experience of a road crash in 1996 and living in constant pain since then. The sudden emptiness and a strong desire that the same doesn't happen to anyone else moved him to work in the field of Road Safety. ArriveSAFE since then has grown from a one man initiative to an organization supported by many likeminded persons having concern for Road Safety.
Special Issue – September, 2012 India Confederation of Goods Vehicles Owners Association
48 © India Transport Portal
The road safety situation in India is terrible. Across the spectrum
the sensitivity towards safety on roads is deficient. Road Safety
management should begin with syllabus based training as a
pre-requisite for grant of driving license for any motorized
vehicle, be it two wheeler, three wheeler, cars or commercial
vehicles. During initial period of say first decade, training of
drivers has to be the job of the Government. Instead of NGOs
the ITIs across the country should be utilized for this job.
Given the characteristics and capabilities of organizations like
ours there is not much scope for playing significant pro-active
role regarding road safety. Advocacy, we find, is the tool
available to us which we are using to the hilt, without minding
for the outcome.
The road transport sector, in common perception, is
constituted of common carriers, which are the focus area for
any activity designed to improve the image of this sector.
Truck owners and their crew are like poor neighbors and
necessary evils. Ideal would have been to concentrate on
training of drivers, carrying for their living style and
emoluments, integrating the fragmented fleet of trucks.
Road transport matters like vehicle or tyre technology etc. are
off the mind of the Government. Oligopoly of domestic tyre
makers rules the roost. Users in India have been starved of
radial technology out of design. No wonder thus the ideal
radial tyres could not be readily available to truckers in India till
date. From consumers’ point of view it is irrelevant who
manufactured the radial tyres which they are hankering for
over the decades since this technology was introduced.
Back to table of contents
“Transport
matters are
off the mind
of the
Government”
Mr. Chittranjan DASS secretary general, AICOGOA,
claims for a better Government involvement in
order to help the trucking sector to adopt road
safety technologies. Comments gathered by India
Transport Portal.
Mr. Chittranjan Dass is Director of the SAARC Centre for Transport Studies and Editor of the SAARC Journal of Transport. He holds the positions of the Secretary General of the All India Confederation of Goods Vehicle Owners’ Association, Secretary of the All India Operators’ Confederation and President of the SHAH SOCIETY for Highways Amenity & Healthcare. He was previously Secretary General of the All India Motor Transport Congress.
“Users in India have been starved of radial
technology out of design.”
Special Issue – September, 2012 Center for Environmental Planning and Technology
49 © India Transport Portal
India Transport Portal: What is the situation regarding road
space management in India and how it is shared by all users?
Mr. Talat Munshi: Most India cities suffer because of several
reasons. Firstly, the poor regulations of road spaces and
activities along the roads, second being inefficient and
inadequate provision and maintenance of the road
infrastructure especially for the pedestrian and for bicycles,
often considered as victim modes. Third they also suffer the
design and supply of transport systems are not inclusive and
lack understanding of travel behavior and habits of individuals.
For the above mentioned reason, in India we see that activities
spill over on the public spaces, as a result the peripheral road
space meant for pedestrian and bicycle use is used for private
purposes as often extension of restaurants, parking of
motorized vehicles.
As a result pedestrian and bicycle users are forced to mix with
other faster modes of travel. The result is that India has
heterogeneous mix of traffic that ranges from pedestrians to
heavy truck, a condition that is obviously not safe for
pedestrian and bicycle users and other individual who use
non-motorized to travel or transport goods.
Individual travel behavior is not accounted for when we
design streets; it has been observed that mostly people,
especially women and children find it safe to walk when
informal activities are present along the road, which is an
analogy to my earlier statement.
“People
become
aware when
you penalize
them”
Mr. Talat Munshi, Associate Professor at the
Center for Environmental Planning and
Technology explains how important it is for road
safety to better think the road sharing
management. He claims for strengthening the
road access in order to give greater
responsibilities to road users.
“Individual travel behavior is not
accounted for when we design streets; it
has been observed that mostly people,
especially women and children find it safe
to walk when informal activities are
present along the road.”
Special Issue – September, 2012 Center for Environmental Planning and Technology
50 © India Transport Portal
What I feel is that Government, NGOs etc. are not doing
enough; everyone has their own agenda and therefore they
implement strategies accordingly. The NGOs want to protect
the street venders and the Government is interested in capital
intensive projects that do not necessarily solve core issues
related to safety on Indian roads.
India Transport Portal: So there is a need for a better road
sharing between all users?
Mr. Talat Munshi: In my view the solution lies in inclusive
developments which understand the need for activities along
the roads, accounts from it in its design and moreover design
of street does not allow mixing of extremes like buses with
pedestrian movements on the same street. Therefore, either
buses should have segregated routes, or the pedestrians or
bicyclist should have separate routes. Small amount of mixing
is desirable as it a self-regulator of speed, but it is essential to
separate the victim modes from large size motorized vehicles.
Laws will have to be enacted so that road space meant for
pedestrians are respected and these public spaces are not
used for private purposes. I recommend that Donald Shoup’s
parking model for parking should be used in Indian context.
Though it might be difficult to implement, individual who use
public spaces for parking and other private purpose should
pay the market price (highest bidder) for the location. This
would include space allocated for hawkers in an inclusive
street plan.
Most Indian roads are not safe because vehicles speeds varies
anywhere between 5 km/hr to 50-60 km/hr, therefore the
upper speed should strictly regulated. In addition there should
be a lower speed limit for each road, so that traffic flows on
India roads are laminar.
The last most important point is that the exam for issuing driving
license should be strict and difficult; an individual who qualifies
for driving a motorized vehicle should be aware of all traffic
rules including traffic movement priorities at junctions.
India Transport Portal: Do you claim for a strengthened road
access?
Mr. Talat Munshi: People become aware when you penalize
them, so the best way to spread awareness would be to make
issuing of driving license difficult and expensive, also the
penalties for serious traffic offense like accidents, rash driving
should be made very strict and involve suspension of license
and mandatory counseling.
“The solution lies in inclusive
developments which understand the need
for activities along the roads, accounts
from it in its design and moreover design
of street does not allow mixing of
extremes like buses with pedestrian
movements on the same street.”
Special Issue – September, 2012 Center for Environmental Planning and Technology
51 © India Transport Portal
Parking charges as stated earlier can be used to manage
demand which will automatically regulate congestion. Parking
violation should be charged and the charged penalty should
have enough dis-utility, so that the person does not violate
rules again.
India Transport Portal: As academics you must give huge
importance to education, training and formation. Do you think
there is a place to learn road safety fundamentals at school?
Mr. Talat Munshi: Yes, I do think it is important to start teaching
early. I consider traffic sense and behavior as part of moral
science and the concepts of traffic safety should be drilled
properly into kid right from an early age. Kids should be bold
enough point out correct traffic behavior to their friends,
school van driver and even parents.
Back to table of contents
Mr. Talat Munshi is Associate Professor at the Faculty of Planning and Public Policy at CEPT University. He teaches graduate students subjects on transport planning/modeling and urban economics. Prior to this position he was an Associate Fellow and Area Convener at “Centre for Urban Systems and Infrastructure” at The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI). He also worked at the International Institute for Geo-information Technology and Earth Observation (ITC) in The Netherlands as Lecturer in Transport Planning where apart from academics he was involved in restructuring of the Geo-information Management Course. His research interests include working on interface between urban planning and transport and use geo-information application tools to understand the relation. Before becoming an academic, he worked in local urban Government, dealing with local area planning, institutional reforms and project planning for infrastructure projects.
Special Issue – September, 2012 GlobalTHEN
52 © India Transport Portal
India Transport Portal: How would you describe the road safety
situation in India today? Does it get the attention that it
deserved from all stakeholders (Government, NGOs,
corporates, citizens etc.)?
Mr. Ram Badrinathan: Road safety is emerging as a major
social concern in the country. The statistics are mind boggling
with an average mortality rate of 100,000 persons dying in road
accidents.
According to a survey from WHO, each year road traffic
injuries take away lives of 1.2 million men, women, and
children around the globe and injure many more. The death
toll is on the higher side for the countries where pedestrians,
motorcyclists and passengers are vulnerable and vehicles lack
the safety norms, like India. Let's peek into some India related
facts:
85% of all road accident deaths occur in developing
countries and nearly half in the Asia-Pacific region,
India accounts for about 10 per cent of road
accident fatalities worldwide,
An estimated 12,75,000 persons are grievously injured
on the road every year,
Road safety expense occupied a total share of 3% of
the country’s Gross Domestic product (GDP),
Professionalism in driver training is absent, proportion
of untrained drivers is continually on the rise and a
positive driving culture is lacking.
It surely does not get the attention that is required and
deserved. On the basis of the above stats, it is evident that
road safety needs to be addressed as a serious concern in our
country and methods to spread awareness about the same
have to be established.
“Corporates
must create
road safety
awareness”
Mr. Ram Badrinathan, CEO of GlobalTHEN
presents us Pawan Ko Kahin Dekha Kya?; a driver
sensitization learning campaign based on
OmndiDEL. This project is an engaging program
for chauffeurs that aims to transform the way
they think and work in order to create road safety
awareness.
“Road safety surely does not get the
attention that is required and deserved. It
needs to be addressed as a serious
concern in our country and methods to
spread awareness about the same have to
be established.”
Special Issue – September, 2012 GlobalTHEN
53 © India Transport Portal
India Transport Portal: How would you improve the road safety
management in India and especially the road safety
awareness?
Mr. Ram Badrinathan: The first area of concern in our country is
not the awareness about road safety, rather the awareness of
the laws related to it. This unawareness is not only on the part
of the public, but also the law keepers themselves. The
Government and public servants need to ensure that road
safety management is an important as well as sensitive issue.
We can undertake various measures such as awareness
campaigns for our traffic police along with the general public.
This will help both parties involved in getting to know the
other’s view and take on the issue of road safety.
Corporates also play a very big role in creating awareness
about this issue as a large chunk of our population is the
working class. Trainings such as Pawan, when adopted by
corporates for their employees and staff will help in improving
road safety management in our country.
The best way to spread awareness about this issue is by
highlighting the negative aspects of lack of road safety as well
as having this endorsed by prominent public personalities, e.g.:
Drink and drive campaigns.
India Transport Portal: Road safety is a global issue: driver
behavior, driving license attribution, safety devices (radial
tyres), road design, traffic signalization (Intelligent Traffic
System) etc. According to you, what is the top priority?
Mr. Ram Badrinathan: All the above mentioned points as well
as many more are equally important and essential for overall
road safety, however top priority should be given to driver
behavior. The reason for this is because all other factors are
external and depend as well as vary in different situations as
well as places. It is not difficult to correct these issues and with
the help of money as well as resources, it can be easily done.
This is not the same in the case of human behavior. The way a
driver behaves is an internal factor and much more easy to
correct. Thus I feel that trainings and awareness about the
issue can help drivers change their behavior which will help
reduce road accidents and improve the statistics that revolve
around road safety.
“The best way to spread awareness about
this issue is by highlighting the negative
aspects of lack of road safety.”
Special Issue – September, 2012 GlobalTHEN
54 © India Transport Portal
India Transport Portal: Present us the initiatives your offer
regarding road safety with a focus on the Pawan Ko Kahin
Dekha Kya:
- What is it?
Mr. Ram Badrinathan: Pawan Ko Kahin Dekha Kya?
combines cutting-edge media, technology and
physical and pranic practices with a classroom
experience. This module uses a mythical character
called Pawan, the ultimate driver, to teach
chauffeurs everything they need to know. Through
the course of the workshop, he will be like a guru to
the participants, explaining rights from wrongs in a
friendly, non-preachy way. Most importantly the
training program is highly engaging, scalable on-
demand and economical.
To engage with the chauffeurs thoroughly, the entire
module has been treated in a filmy way, complete
with dialogue and riddles and songs. Issues like
punctuality, knowledge, personal hygiene, safety,
vehicle hygiene and maintenance, communication
& etiquette will all be dealt with in the course of six
sessions, 26 activities, group exercises, and a fun filled
mix of music, drama and poetry sessions.
- How does it work?
Mr. Ram Badrinathan: The training is designed as a
one day workshop aimed at drivers. It is an
interactive module that involves, activities and
games that keeps all engaged. It not only makes the
drivers aware about road safety, dos and don’ts but
also teaches them customer service and acts as a
motivational tool as well.
- Who is it designed for?
Mr. Ram Badrinathan: It is designed for drivers in all
sectors such as tourist and private taxis, private
chauffeurs and any person in the driving profession,
be it in the organized or unorganized sector.
- What are the main objectives?
Mr. Ram Badrinathan: The main objective of this
training is to ensure that people who are part of the
driving profession get the respect they deserve while
being involved in a training programme that is highly
interactive one-day workshop, designed to train
drivers in soft skills, teach them the tenets of customer
“The main objective of this training is to
ensure that people who are part of the
driving profession get the respect they
deserve.”
Special Issue – September, 2012 GlobalTHEN
55 © India Transport Portal
service and instill in them a sense of dignity. This
venture comes as a much needed aid to cab
companies, rental car agencies, tourist transport
companies, Government agencies, airline, hotel or
even private car owners and other such
organizations.
Chauffeurs in India don’t take pride in what they do
and for the most part have little respect for
themselves and their customers. To fill this gaping void
in what is expected of them and what they are
currently achieving, we partnered with an education
visionary Sourabh J. Sarkar, to deploy an unique
approach, OmniDEL. This platform stands for Omni
Dimensionally Engaging Learningware.
Learning and teaching processes often fail because
the teacher fails to engage holistically with the
students. Conventional training programs target only
the mind, which leads to only partial learning. But
humans have many facets such as body, mind,
prana (the energetic self) and the spiritual self. The
OmniDEL approach blends entertainment and
education, and engages with every aspect of the
learner. It inculcates a spirit of participation and of
practice, thereby maximizing learning.
- What is the cost of such programme?
Mr. Ram Badrinathan: The average cost per driver for
this one day workshop is 800/- INR. This fluctuates
depending on the size and scale of the training.
- What kind of results do you expect?
Mr. Ram Badrinathan: In the next 12 months we
expect a success metric as mentioned below:
• Drivers training sold for 20,000 drivers using
scalable learning experience,
• 10,000 individuals sign up for the selling skills
and customer service products,
• We are able to deliver our promise on SKIP
model – putting skills and knowledge into
practice in our three modules,
• Raise a series A round to build a larger library
of TTH focused library,
• Our products will be converted into other
languages (Indian and international) to
reach out to more students,
“Chauffeurs in India don’t take pride in
what they do and for the most part have
little respect for themselves and their
customers.”
Special Issue – September, 2012 GlobalTHEN
56 © India Transport Portal
• Contact done and process initiated for
fresher recruitment solution, competency
management and skill enhancement for all
top travel & tourism company,
• Contact done and process initiated for
marketing program of leading Destination
Management Organizations (DMO) both
Domestic & International
Back to table of contents
Mr. Ram Badrinathan is the founder and CEO of GlobalTHEN. GlobalTHEN is the only learning company focused on creating learning solutions exclusively for the TTH industry. Mr. Badrinathan was previously General Manager, Asia Pacific and Vice President, Learning Solutions of PhoCusWright Inc. Mr. Badrinathan holds a BS in Civil Engineering from the National Institute of Technology, Surat, and an MBA from Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.
Special Issue – September, 2012 International Consultants &Technocrats
57 © India Transport Portal
India Transport Portal: At what stage are we regarding road
safety situation?
Pr. P. K. Sikdar: The road safety in India is worsening by days
and it continues to remain in peril. With 142,000 road deaths,
as official statistics published by the Government for 2011,
India accounts for more than 10 per cent of global fatality in
road crashes. Every day in India hundreds of people meet
violent death in road crashes and several thousands receive
major injuries, who suffer from life-long disability.
Due to large scale under-reporting and police apathy, the true
magnitude of the problem, as projected by WHO and others,
is much larger. Reckless driving with total indiscipline, traffic
offence on high-speed roads and driving under influence of
alcohol or drug are some of the major causes of these terrible
tragedies. Above all, these cost the nation more than Rupees
100,000 crores annually, which a developing country like India
can ill afford.
The urgency and real concern on road safety issues are still not
seen in the Government’s radar. It appears that, due to the
diffused nature of the problem, none in the Government’s
machinery, including the nodal Ministry (MoRT&H) seems to
have realized the real criticality of this man-made disaster. In
the countries which have successfully controlled this menace,
the mission has been led by the topmost leader of the country
with full political commitment. With the politics of coalition in
India, where there is no consensus on anything. Road safety is
nowhere even in distant horizon of policies and programmes
for any of the political parties.
IRF India Chapter has been spearheading a countrywide
campaign with the Government as well as the private sector
players by mobilizing opinion and actions for road safety.
“There is no
road safety
even in
distant
horizon”
Pr. P. K. Sikdar, President, International
Consultants &Technocrats Pvt. LTD and former
CRRI director comments the dearth of political
impulse regarding road safety, an issue that is one
of the worst plagues for India.
“The road safety in India is worsening by
days and it continues to remain in peril.”
Special Issue – September, 2012 International Consultants &Technocrats
58 © India Transport Portal
The nodal Ministry has accepted the recommendations of IRF
for adopting additional engineering measures for satisfying the
requirements of 'forgiving roads', and directives have also
been issued to implement these measures uniformly in all
projects. However, there is hardly anything on ground till date
as a result of these efforts, as Government systems are
manned by people who are devoid of any urge and sensitivity
towards the problem.
There are hardly one or two NGOs in the country working on
road safety and have been able to make real contributions.
But, most of the efforts of NGOs through poorly designed and
uncoordinated projects remain with unfulfilled objectives, as
majority of these are implemented with lack of scientific
planning and design.
Similarly, while some of the corporate initiatives for road safety
are excellent examples, but the smaller scale and spread of
these have not been able to make any impact on the
countrywide gigantic problem, which we have. Unless the
Government itself champions it, and drives it as a mission like
the ‘eradication of polio’, the road deaths is likely to be more
threatening in coming time than any other epidemic or natural
disaster.
India Transport Portal: What about road safety fundings?
Pr. P. K. Sikdar: India is required to have an agency like NHTSA
(USA) or SNRA (Sweden). Ministry of Road Transport & Highways
(Transport Wing) is the nodal Ministry in India to handle road
safety matters, but they are not able to plan and programme
road safety due to lack of expertise in the Ministry. NHTSA and
SNRA are technical bodies with logical budgets to deliver
targeted objectives.
Recommendation of Sundar Committee for establishment of
the Road Safety & Traffic Management Board (can be called
RSTMB) was aiming for uniform road safety actions across India.
NHAI being an executing agency cannot handle road safety
with a national objective, with no expertise at all within it. The
Board at national level with its counterparts in the States
equipped with appropriate subject experts will only be able to
attend to this socio-technical problem, which is to be handled
from all angles including the psychology of road users, where
there is an urge for indiscipline and violation.
For Road Safety to be realized effectively, an independent
agency is required with power to implement and fund the
road safety projects in a systematic manner with targets.
“Some of the corporate initiatives for road
safety are excellent examples.”
Special Issue – September, 2012 International Consultants &Technocrats
59 © India Transport Portal
Road safety is just not achieved by policy or policies of the
Government alone. It needs many things more beyond
policies. It needs uniform adoption of standards aiming for
road safety across all agencies and across all projects.
Attempt to achieve safety in compartments will not work; it
needs to be tagged to funds to implement safety elements in
all projects uniformly. That means the requirements of uniform
safety standards, which are to be developed as the first step.
A huge part of the safety problem in India is rooted to
indiscipline and weak enforcement system. The enforcement
system is totally ignorant about the causes of the problem,
indifferent about the impact of their illiteracy on the matter,
starved of funds and shortage of manpower, uses only a
primitive system of enforcement, and so on.
The rules and regulations for traffic and those specifically
focused on road safety are also grossly inadequate in terms of
their impact and effect. An overhaul is required there as well.
Practically, everything related to road safety needs to be
revamped and modernized to realize any difference in the
road safety scenario in India. First of all, this problem is to be
registered in the radar of the Government as a priority area of
concern, beyond coalition politics and the insurgency in the
country.
Creation of a Road Safety Fund is found to be most legitimate
in many countries, where there has been better management
of road safety. In India, till date there is no initiative taken by
the Government to provide required policy, programme and
fund for fighting this menace. Even the fines for traffic
violations collected by Police, are also treated as revenue to
the Government in most states; and that also cannot be
pooled to a separate fund for doing road safety related works.
Practically, the Government works like a machine, may be
blind folded and without application of mind. To create a
FUND and to deliver road safety, there has to be leadership
from the Government, which is missing in India. The
Commission of Global Road Safety (CGRS) suggested to the
international funding agencies like World Bank that all road
projects must be funded with a provision of 10% allocation for
road safety features alone, so that infrastructure may not have
any deficiency related to safety.
India has its chess on petrol and diesel established since a long
time, and the collection is growing every day due to the fast
growth of traffic in India. Thousands of crores of rupees is
getting collected by this mechanism, for which totally
transparent account is not available from the Government.
“Attempt to achieve safety in
compartments will not work; it needs to
be tagged to funds to implement safety
elements in all projects uniformly.”
Special Issue – September, 2012 International Consultants &Technocrats
60 © India Transport Portal
A legitimate part, may be 5% only, should come to a Central
Road Safety Fund (CRSF). Like many other countries in the
world, a reasonable share of the revenue from road must
come to this central pool for road safety. The country, at this
time, loses Rupees 100,000 crores every year due to road
accidents; and by enhancing road safety the country will save
from this loss.
Planning Commission should have deliberate and planned
allocation of at least Rupees 10,000 crores (equivalent to 10%
of this loss every year) to the Central Fund every year. In
addition, fines collected for all traffic violations must
accumulate in this Fund. Also, an amount equivalent to 1-2%
of all road construction project estimates should be
earmarked for the Central Road Safety Fund.
All these sources can pool a huge amount to the CRSF for
improving road safety alone. The Central Road Safety Fund
(CRSF) should be managed by an independent Board, but
with complete transparency. CRSF should allocate funds to the
State Boards based on systematically planned projects and
taken up with targeted objectives.
India Transport Portal: How could the Government go further to
improve the situation?
Pr. P. K. Sikdar: Given the situation of road safety in India,
which is already known to be the worst in the entire world
(official statistics of 142,000 road deaths, and actual may be
about 2 lakh), a huge effort is required to attack the problem.
There are small attempts in many parts of the country; but they
cannot be considered even as success stories. The populace
of 1.2 billion needs to be exhorted for the culture of road
safety with a uniform policy, programme and action. These are
to be hierarchically planned, implemented and monitored like
projects with delivery schedule and targets to be achieved.
No more programmes are required like Employment
Guarantee or any such vague scheme of projects. First of all,
the Government and its machineries are to be made aware of
the problem and its causes across the board, as the people at
the helm of affairs are totally ignorant about the technicalities
of the road safety problem. Thus, educating these
Government machineries to make them concerned about this
problem is the first task. Naturally, the requirement is
unbelievably large, but it has to be addressed in a systematic
way in the form of a Mission, covering all the basic issues of
road safety encompassed in Engineering, Education and
Enforcement, which only will make the real difference.
“The populace of 1.2 billion needs to be
exhorted for the culture of road safety
with a uniform policy, programme and
action.”
Special Issue – September, 2012 International Consultants &Technocrats
61 © India Transport Portal
Each available system in reference to each of these
components of road safety is to be energized with
education/awareness, motivation, and funding; and strict
monitoring through due measures of accountability should be
in place. On top of all these, the additional requirement is to
attend to the accident victims by emergency care for saving
lives and permanent disabilities due to road accidents. Twelve
states have adopted GVK Foundation’s system of ambulance
network through 108 networks. Government is proposing to
implement a similar system in Punjab calling it «Saving Lives» for
its most deadly stretch of National Highway from Amritsar to
Pathankot. Though it is a good initiative, it is too little for a
prosperous state like Punjab with very extensive network of
roads and higher vehicle density.
The Government is going through a highly ambitious road
development programme, and it had a major policy
orientation to have most of the projects under PPP. However,
as it can be seen in the projects delivered over last one
decade, none of the projects is complete with all the features
of road safety as required according to the international
standards. Multi-lane divided highways are meant for higher
speed; why these are not access controlled? And if these are
not access controlled, then why all the required ancillary
features and details which will ensure higher level of safety, like
grade separations for vehicular traffic and non-motorized
transport users, are not included?
In the interest of making the projects viable for PPP (by
keeping the total project cost lower), many of the safety
features like service roads, grade separations, and many other
facilities, are excluded from the detailed design. Moreover, the
projects implemented by Government funds and those
implemented through PPP are required to follow different
standards, which is very strange, probably only in India.
Accidents and fatalities can be brought down by adoption of
uniform standards across the board, implementing the
complete design (including safety features) even at higher
cost. This may need only a longer concession period or a
higher viability gap funding. The polity of the country and
managers of the programme in the Government have their
own objectives and targets, and may be least concerned
about the serious fallout (in terms of road safety outcomes) of
their project planning and implementation mechanisms.
A campaign and awareness drive on this very fact is required
urgently. All the design standards/manuals are required to be
revamped with strict requirement of safety features and giving
priority to safety over all other project viability criteria such as
financial and economic.
“Multi-lane divided highways are meant
for higher speed; why these are not access
controlled?”
Special Issue – September, 2012 International Consultants &Technocrats
62 © India Transport Portal
The entire country is not fully aware of the dimension of this
problem of road safety which kills 142,000 and robs the
livelihood of at least 500,000 families every year leading to a
loss of Rs. 100,000 crores every year in India. It is a bigger
disaster than any of the natural and man-made disaster we
have seen or likely to see in our life time. This gigantic human
tragedy and sentimental story is required to be told to every
Indian suggesting to apply his mind to this problem and be
concerned about it. Such effort is likely to bring in a road
safety culture in the population, which may eliminate all
jingoism and risky behavior of the road users, which are seen
everywhere. Discipline, respect for road rules, compassion to
fellow road users, are the qualities required in each road user,
which can be inculcated through an all-encompassing
campaign for road safety.
A massive campaign as a mission is required to be launched,
similar to that was done for eradicating the Polio virus. Road
safety in school curriculum, stringent driver training and
licensing regime, 100% enforcement using the available latest
technologies, and similar actions in every other element of
road transport through scientifically designed and delivered
campaign will only make a difference in the present status
and its growing perilous trend.
Everything flows or gets done through money, which has been
shown as the excuse for not delivering. A non-lapsable fund
allocation of Rs. 10,000 crores every year by the Planning
Commission (10% equivalent of the total loss made due to
road accidents every year) can give us a starter to the hope
for changing the road safety situation. This amount is just a
peanut in comparison to many other hugely expensive
programmes taken up every year by the Government, with
much lesser and vague objectives compared to this menace,
which hurts the aam admi (pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists,
etc.) most. Whenever more funds will be required, that can be
made available through other channels.
India Transport Portal: Road safety is a global issue: what really
matters when it is time to take action?
Pr. P. K. Sikdar: Road safety is a socio-technical problem with
multiple dimensions, and using any one action the desired
objectives cannot be reached. Therefore, those nations which
have been successful in taming this problem have had multi-
prong approach and then only managed to contain this
dragon. The Government of India also, way back in 2004, itself
tried to develop a set of road safety policies as follows:
“It is a bigger disaster than any of the
natural and man-made disaster we have
seen or likely to see in our life time. This
gigantic human tragedy and sentimental
story is required to be told to every Indian
suggesting to apply his mind to this
problem and be concerned about it.”
Special Issue – September, 2012 International Consultants &Technocrats
63 © India Transport Portal
Policy 01: Raising awareness about road safety issues
Policy 02: Providing enabling legal, institutional and
financial environment
Policy 03: Road safety information/database
Policy 04: Safer road infrastructure
Policy 05: Safer vehicles
Policy 06: Safer drivers
Policy 07: Safety for vulnerable road users
Policy 08: Road traffic safety education and training
Policy 09: Traffic enforcement
Policy 10: Emergency medical services for road
accidents
Policy 11: HRD and research for road safety
But, these have only sat and decorated the website, and not
seen much action till date as the nodal Ministry did not have
anyone to concentrate on this subject until recently. Even the
setting up of one person “safety unit” will not meet any
requirement of this problem unmanaged for decades. The Bill
for setting up an all-empowering Board to tackle road safety in
the country, recommended by Sundar Committee almost five
years back, is still languishing for passing in the Parliament. This
was to be equivalent of NHTSA of USA or SNRA of Sweden,
which could take up every aspect of road safety with targets
to be achieved in a time bound manner.
It has been indicated above that driver behavior, driving
licensing, safety devices (in-vehicle and those for roads), road
design standards, traffic signalization (including Intelligent
Traffic System) etc., and many others meant for managing,
guiding and enforcing traffic rules, are required together to
achieve safety in real sense.
The road accident data is as much important to analyze and
determine the pattern and causes of accidents, which leads
to the correction of the road geometry or even the control
measures to assist the road users in their use of the road
efficiently and safely.
Similarly the in-vehicle safety devices are required in every
vehicle to save the occupants in the event of a driver error, as
human being is likely to fail even in the safest designs, when it
requires complex decision making.
Also, the victims of an accident require trauma care facility
within golden hour to save lives or disabilities. Thus, every
aspect of road safety is equally important, and all these make
total safety. However, the knowledge of road user about road
rules, proper driving skills, and the safe design of roads with its
controls, are the first requirements to achieve safety.
“The in-vehicle safety devices are required
in every vehicle to save the occupants in
the event of a driver error, as human
being is likely to fail even in the safest
designs, when it requires complex decision
making.”
Special Issue – September, 2012 International Consultants &Technocrats
64 © India Transport Portal
India Transport Portal: Intercontinental Consultants and
Technocrats focus on Infrastructure development. How to
balance the need for infrastructure and the road safety? How
do you tackle road safety issues at ICT?
Pr. P. K. Sikdar: Road safety is built in every aspect of the
works/projects delivered by ICT (ICT carries out not only the
road sector projects, but also airports, ports, and others). All
plans and designs, developed for the clients, are as per the
highest standards of the country (and international standards,
as required), as per the provisions made in the guidelines,
codes, and manuals of the country. In addition to looking into
the social, economic, and environmental feasibility of the
designed projects, it is also subjected to Road Safety Audit
(RSA), if the project has road components, to identify the
potential hazards at the stage of design itself. The
recommendations of the audit are discussed with the client
and implemented in the design, as far as possible, within the
scope defined by the client.
ICT, through its CSR funding, does many activities with the
focus on reduction of accidents and road fatalities in the
country. ICT so far has supported the visits of road safety expert
to schools for educating the school children on the safe road
use behavior. Published road safety messages on national
daily for some time; and then this was taken up by the
Government through DAVP. Sponsored the production of two
4-minutes long film on road safety theme for showing in the
cinema halls across the country; and Government has issued
instruction to all states to show such films in cinema halls before
showing the normal commercial films. ICT has funded the
development of a tablet based accident data collection
system called RADaR, which will make the data collection by
Traffic Police much easier and comprehensive for all scientific
analysis of the data, which were not available till date.
Back to table of contents
Prof. P.K. Sikdar is a President at ICT Pvt. Ltd. He has been a Professor of Civil Engineering Department and Dean at Indian Institute of Technology. Dr. Sikdar is Former Director, Central Road Research Institute. Prof. Sikdar has been involved in the teaching, research and R&D management for Road and Road Transport Sector including highway planning and management for more than three decades. He taught in Assam Engineering College, University of Roorkee (Now I.I.T. Roorkee), University of Waterloo, Canada and IIT Bombay. He was a Visiting Faculty in University of Wales, Institute of Science & Technology (UWIST), and Cardiff, U.K. for two years. Professor Sikdar is a Fellow of Institution of Engineers (India), Chartered Institute of Logistics & Transport (CILT) and Indian national Academy of Engineering (INAE). Prof. Sikdar is member of a large number of national and international bodies for policy making and standardization in the road sector including road transport.
Special Issue – September, 2012 Credits
65 © India Transport Portal
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