Union minister Nitin Gadkari has announced that the government will make it mandatory for automakers to offer at least six airbags in vehicles that can carry up to eight passengers. Gadkari revealed the plan for enhanced safety of occupants while addressing ‘Intel India’s Safety Pioneers Conference 2022’. As per the minister, almost 1.5 lakh people are killed in around five lakh accidents across the country. “We have decided to make it mandatory to provide a minimum of six airbags in motor vehicles… We want to save the lives of the people,” the road transport and highways minister said.
This is not the first time Gadkari is stressing on additional safety features for occupants. The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) in January issued a draft notification which mandates that vehicles of category M1, manufactured after October 1, 2022, shall be fitted with two side/side torso airbags, one each for the persons occupying front row outboard seating positions, and two side curtain/tube air bags, one each for the persons occupying outboard seating positions.
“We need cooperation from all stakeholders (including the automobile industry).” said Gadkari at the event. Gadkari pointed out that all global automobile brands are available in India. Noting that safe roads are very important, he admitted that effective implementation of the Motor Vehicles Act is a challenge. The minister reiterated that Indian road infrastructure will be equivalent to the USA by 2024.
Last week the union minister also announced that he will soon introduce a new car assessment program for India called Bharat NCAP, wherein automobiles in India will be accorded ‘Star Ratings’ based upon their performance in crash tests. In a series of tweets Gadkari revealed that Bharat NCAP will serve as a consumer-centric platform allowing customers to opt for safer cars based upon their star-ratings, while promoting a healthy competition among original equipment manufacturers (OEMs)in India to manufacture safer vehicles.
(with inputs from PTI)
