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Time of India
05-05-2025
- Automotive
- Time of India
Ponnam seeks Centre's support for Tealgana's road safety, EV initiatives
Hyderabad: Transport minister Ponnam Prabhakar on Monday urged Union road transport minister Nitin Gadkari to extend central assistance for key road safety, electric mobility, and driver training initiatives in Telangana. In a letter to the Union minister, Ponnam highlighted Telangana's progress in modernising its transport sector through digital platforms like VAHAN and SARATHI, AI-based traffic systems, scrapping facilities, and awareness programmes. He made a strong pitch for a second Institute of Driving Training and Research (IDTR) near Hyderabad, noting that the current facility at Sircilla is too remote for urban users. "With a population of over four crore and 1.72 crore registered vehicles, Telangana faces a serious shortage of trained commercial drivers," he said. The state has earmarked 40 acres at Dundigal for the new IDTR and is seeking central approval. Ponnam also requested ₹55 crore for an AI-based Integrated Intelligent Transport Management System , ₹176 crore under the SASCI scheme, and ₹43 crore to automate 57 driving test tracks that issue nearly five lakh licences annually. He reaffirmed Telangana's EV push, citing full waivers on road tax and registration.
Hindustan Times
05-05-2025
- Automotive
- Hindustan Times
U.P. registers vehicular boom, takes up road safety, licensing reforms
Uttar Pradesh has emerged as the country's fastest-expanding state in terms of its vehicular population with its registered vehicle count touching a staggering 4.93 crore by 2024-25 and the number of licensed drivers reaching 2.82 crore, according to a presentation made by the state's transport department in brainstorming in Delhi on Thursday. In just five years, the number of vehicles increased by 1.48 crore from 3.44 crore in 2019-20 to 4.93 crore in 2025-25, marking a growth of over 43%. The figures, presented by the UP's principal secretary (transport) Amit Gupta, underscored the scale and complexity of mobility management and road safety challenge in India's most populous state. According to the presentation, two-wheelers alone make up more than 80% of the state's vehicles, numbering 3.91 crore and 30.68 lakh commercial vehicles. The rapid surge, especially in personal vehicles, poses significant challenges in terms of road safety, driver training and regulatory enforcement. Despite the magnitude, Uttar Pradesh, the presentation suggested, has proactively responded by launching a structured framework for driver training and licensing. Over 2.82 crore driving licences have been issued till date, reflecting both rising mobility and expanding access to regulatory mechanisms. To ensure quality and safety, the state has operationalized Automated Driving Testing Tracks (ADTTs) in key districts, launched accredited private and government training centres and rolled out digital licensing and challan services even in remote areas. Officials emphasised the need for integrated planning, citing the correlation between vehicle growth and road safety risks. Measures like mandatory helmet rules, accident investigation units, and expanded road safety education in schools are part of a comprehensive response. The government sector initiative includes the operational Institute of Driving Training and Research (IDTR) at Rae Bareli, which began functioning in April 2024 and has already trained over 1,000 drivers and tested over 10,500 applicants. Driving Training and Testing Institutes (DTTIs) are being established across 15 divisional districts, with automation and simulators funded under Maruti Suzuki India Limited's CSR. Automated Driving Testing Tracks (ADTTs) are operational in Kanpur Nagar and Bareilly, where more than 3.7 lakh driving license tests have been conducted. Azamgarh and Pratapgarh ADTTs will be operational soon. Based on the ministry of road transport and highways (MoRTH) 2025 guidelines, new IDTRs are proposed in nine districts including Lucknow, Gorakhpur, and Agra, while 15 districts such as Varanasi and Meerut will get Regional Driving Training Centres (RDTCs). The MoRTH will fund each IDTR with ₹17.25 crore and each RDTC with ₹5 crore. Under the Accredited Driving Training Centre (ADTC) scheme, Letters of Intent have been issued in 86 districts, with 10 ADTCs already operational. Additionally, 270 private motor driving schools are functional under the revised SOP of April 2023. 'Uttar Pradesh has also introduced a Road Accident Investigation Scheme for probing accidents with three or more fatalities, and has strengthened manpower with newly approved ARTO and AMVI posts,' said the presentation. 'Transporters are now required to submit monthly health certificates of drivers and adhere to duty hour regulations. Road safety education is being integrated into CBSE and ICSE syllabi. To increase accessibility, 45 faceless transport services are available through Common Service Centres, particularly benefiting rural and urban applicants alike,' it added. The state has also distributed 400 point of sale (POS) machines to field officers, enabling real-time collection of challan payments via debit cards and UPI.
Time of India
02-05-2025
- Automotive
- Time of India
Goa unveils tech-driven Road Safety Policy for 2025
Traffic passes an automated speed camera outside Beacon Hill Middle School in Decatur, Ga., on Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Jeff Amy) Panaji: State govt has unveiled a technology-led Road Safety Policy, 2025, to overhaul every facet of Goa's transport and road safety framework — by harnessing AI-powered surveillance and data-driven engineering reforms among other tools. According to the policy, an AI-Based Traffic Management System will detect and document traffic violations such as speeding, helmetless riding, seatbelt non-compliance, and jumping red lights. The system will also identify end-of-life vehicles, expired insurance policies, and stolen vehicles. The system will be created on the public-private partnership model to enable real-time implementation by integrating traffic information with law enforcement data. To tighten control over driver licensing and vehicle fitness rules, the policy mandates the establishment of at least one automated testing station in every district, and at least one Institute of Driving Training and Research or Regional Driving Training Centre in the state. These centres will be set up under the public-private partnership model. Goa will fully sync the Integrated Road Accident Database (iRAD) with the e-Detailed Accident Report system. These platforms allow the collection and cross-analysis of crash data from police, transport, highway, and health departments. Training and sensitisation programmes will be conducted across departments, particularly for high-risk zones and black spots. Based on the data from iRAD and traffic police reports, accident hotspots will be targeted for redesigns, including speed-curbing measures, improved lighting, pedestrian walkways, and better signage. A dedicated 'lead agency for road safety' will bring under one umbrella all the major stakeholders, including traffic police, the transport department, the PWD, and the health department. District and state road safety councils will convene regular reviews to track the implementation, plug enforcement gaps, and make data-backed course corrections. Strict enforcement is set to become the norm, with 100% saturation set for high-security registration plates, vehicle location tracking devices, and speed governors on all transport vehicles. Non-compliance will result in licence suspension, insurance issues, and potential criminal liability. All fitness renewals will be tethered to these safety parameters. Recognising that infrastructure alone cannot end road fatalities, the policy includes mass awareness and behavioural training campaigns. The TRUST (Traffic Rules Understanding and Safety Training) programme will be scaled up to re-train drivers with suspended licences. Road safety education will also be taken to schools, colleges, and workplaces, evoking a culture of compliance rather than mere legal obligation. An analysis of accidents in 2024 by the traffic cell of Goa police has revealed that straight roads account for over 81% of the accidents in the state. Around 73% of the persons who died in road accidents were two-wheeler riders. A total of 207 motorcyclists lost their lives in road accidents that year. A senior police officer said that 97.5% of the accidents occurred due to rash and negligent driving, and 34.4% occurred on national highways.
