Government to implement Bharat-III norms for vehicles by April 2010 news
17 June 2008

Mumbai: The government plans to implement Bharat Stage-III emission norms for four-wheeled vehicles across the country from April 2010,  minister of shipping, road transport and highways TR Baalu said, adding the norms for  the 11 major cities would be seat at Bharat Stage-IV.

Bharat Stage-IV norms, the Indian version of Euro-IV norms, would be extended to 11 major cities from April 2010, he told the consultative committee of members of Parliament attached to his ministry.

"The department of road transport and highways is in the process of notifying the rules very soon," the statement added.

Baalu said the ministry is also studying a proposal for earmarking a minimum one per cent of total proceeds of cess on diesel and petrol for a Road Safety Fund.

Stating that the expansion in road network, motorisation and urbanisation in the country has been accompanied by a rise in road accidents, the minister said that during the year 2006, there were around 4.6 lakh road accidents which killed 1,05,749 people and injured close to 5 lakh persons.

He said that these numbers translate into one road accident every minute and one road accident death every five minutes for India. At the prices of year 2000, it amounted to three per cent of GDP which in financial terms comes to Rs55,000 crore per year, he said.

The minister said that the challenge before us is adopt the multi-pronged approach to road safety that encompasses broad range of measures, such as traffic management, design and quality of road infrastructure, safer vehicles, law enforcement, provision of accident care, etc.

The minister said comprehensive proposal for amendment of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 has been endorsed with modifications to the amendments proposed by the government. ''We are trying to introduce the revised Bill in the ensuing Monsoon Session of Parliament'' he said, adding that the proposed amendments contain a number of provisions which would help in checking incidents of road accidents.

Giving highlights of the proposals he said that the penalties for various traffic offenses are proposed to be enhanced substantially to make it more deterrent. ''We have proposed that the authorised enforcement authorities may suspend on the spot the driving licence of a drunken driver for a period upto three months and we are also proposing to introduce civil liabilities of a driver by providing penalty up to Rs5,000 if one drives motor vehicle in a rash or negligent manner, causing injury to a person or damage to property,'' he said.

The minister said that the amount of compensation is being increased and it has also been provided that interim compensation to the tune of Rs1,00,000 in the case of death or permanent total disablement and Rs50,000 in the case of permanent partial disablement shall be paid within three months from the date of filing the application in the Motor Accident Claim Tribunal (MACT) or civil court. ''We are also providing that the MACT or civil court shall make endeavour to finally dispose off the claim for compensation within a period of two years from the date of its filing' Baalu informed.

He also said the central government will provide financial assistance to the states for setting up of inspection and maintenance centers through capital grant.


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Government to implement Bharat-III norms for vehicles by April 2010