Latest news with #MoRTH
Time of India
5 days ago
- Automotive
- Time of India
Now, get transport service updates on WhatsApp
Lucknow: In a step towards enhancing convenience, transparency and tech-enabled public service delivery, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has granted Application Programming Interface (API) access to the UP transport department for its WhatsApp-based chatbot service. The chatbot service, available on the number 8005441222, enables citizens to interact via WhatsApp to access key transport-related information. Through a simple message exchange, users can now obtain details about vehicle registration, driving licence services, challan information and application status — without the need to physically visit transport offices. The move aims to streamline services and minimise public inconvenience by making essential transport services available anytime and from anywhere. The central govt also clarified that no personal or sensitive data of citizens will be shared through the platform, and all privacy and security protocols will be strictly followed. Brajesh Narayan Singh, transport commissioner, UP, said that this initiative will be a milestone in making the state's transport system smart and responsive. The department is working to launch this service for the general public soon. It may take some time to complete the formalities.
Time of India
6 days ago
- Automotive
- Time of India
Gujarat goes full throttle on CNG cars, petrol loses the lead
The tide is turning on Gujarat's roads — and it's powered by CNG. For the first time in Gujarat's auto history, CNG cars have outsold petrol ones. In FY 2025, sales of CNG and petrol-CNG vehicles touched 1.25 lakh units, beating petrol car sales which stood at 1.18 lakh, according to data by the Union ministry of road transport and highways (MoRTH). The shift signals changing consumer priorities — from power to practicality. As fuel prices rise, buyers are looking for smarter, cheaper ways to commute. This is a clear reversal of a long-standing trend in a state where petrol has traditionally been the fuel of choice for most car owners. In FY 2021, petrol car sales at 1.39 lakh units were more than three times those of CNG sales of 40,560 units. Experts attribute the change to rising fuel prices, the growing availability of factory-fitted CNG variants, and the cost advantage of running a car on compressed natural gas . "Diesel vehicles are expensive and, therefore, preferred only by SUV owners largely than other smaller compact cars and sedans. In such cases, CNG variants always are preferred for their better range as well as reliability," said Pranav Shah, chairperson of the Federation of Automobile Dealers' Association (FADA), Gujarat. The CNG boom is largely driven by petrol-CNG variants, which allow buyers the flexibility of running on either fuel while substantially lowering operational costs. "Popular hatchbacks and compact sedans now come with factory-fitted CNG kits, and several manufacturers have ramped up production to meet rising demand," said a car dealer in the city. Dealers say even entry-level SUV buyers are considering CNG options as and when available. Diesel cars, too, held their ground, with sales touching over 73,000 units this year — slightly higher than last year and up nearly double from FY 2021. The sustained interest in diesel stems from the continuing popularity of SUVs and compact SUVs in Gujarat, a trend which was earlier limited to semi-urban and rural areas only. While CNG and diesel car sales are holding fort over the past five years, petrol cars have seen a steady decline — from nearly 1.55 lakh units in FY 2023 to under 1.19 lakh this year. As more buyers prioritise running costs, petrol is no longer the default choice it once was. Electric vehicles (EVs) and hybrids are still a small fraction of overall sales but are beginning to show momentum. Sales of strong hybrid vehicles surged to over 6,300 units in FY 2025, up from just 100 last year, driven by new model launches and rising awareness about fuel economy. EV adoption in the state remains modest at around 6,200 units (including both pure EV and BOV), though experts say the segment is likely to pick up pace as charging infrastructure improves and more mass-market models hit the roads.
Time of India
7 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
MoRTH starts process to free up Chandigarh's worst clogged stretch
1 2 Chandigarh: As a first step toward decongesting the Poultry Farm Chowk to Zirakpur border stretch of the National Highway (NH-05), the ministry of road, transport and highways (MoRTH) initiated the process of formulating a detailed project report (DPR). The DPR will be prepared to mitigate the bottlenecks from the Punjab/UT border near Zirakpur flyover to Poultry Farm Chowk, including the decongestion of Old Airport Chowk, Hallomajra T-Point, and Poultry Farm Chowk on NH-05. The approximate length of the stretch is around 3 km in the UT. The DPR is to be prepared in 7 months. For the preparation of the DPR, the regional office, Chandigarh, of the MoRTH released a request for proposal (RFP) and will be appointing a consultant. The consultant will prepare the DPR, which will include the identification of possible improvements in the existing alignment and bypassing congested locations with alternatives, evaluation of different alternatives, comparison on techno-economic and other considerations, and recommendations regarding the most appropriate option. The consultant will also prepare the environmental and social impact assessment for the project, including aspects related to cultural properties, natural habitats, involuntary resettlement, etc. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Free P2,000 GCash eGift UnionBank Credit Card Apply Now The DPR will include the detailed plan for public consultation for the project. The consultant will identify possible improvements in the existing alignment and bypassing congested locations with alternatives, evaluation of different alternatives, comparison on techno-economic and other considerations, and recommendations regarding the most appropriate option. The consultant will also study the requirement of segregating the local and slow traffic from the main traffic and provision of service roads and physical barriers, including fencing. Recently, the MoRTH directed the RO-Chandigarh to prepare a DPR to decongest the stretch of road at Poultry Chowk, Hallomajra T-point, and the Old Airport Chowk. Over the years, traffic congestion at these points on NH-05 increased manifold, creating major bottlenecks for the entire stretch. Earlier, only the Industrial Area Chowk was a major bottleneck, but now the entire stretch has turned into a major traffic congestion area. In a recent meeting of MoRTH on the issue of traffic decongestion of the tricity region held in Delhi with different stakeholders, including the Chandigarh Administration, Punjab, Haryana, and the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), it was decided that the RO-Chandigarh, MoRTH, will prepare the DPR to mitigate these bottlenecks and congestion points. "As per the discussions between MoRTH and the officials of the Chandigarh Administration, a flyover (with underpass) is being planned from the Poultry Farm Chowk to the Zirakpur border," said an official. This will be in addition to the Industrial Area flyover-rotary-underpass. While the stretch covered by the Industrial Area flyover is around 1.6 km, the stretch between Poultry Farm Chowk and Zirakpur border is around 3 km. For the Industrial Area flyover, the ministry already gave its nod to the Chandigarh administration to float a fresh tender. The ministry approved Rs 183 crore for the project in 2018. The project remained in limbo because it got stuck in legal tangles. But after the Punjab and Haryana high court vacated a stay on the cutting of trees for the project, the MoRTH directed the preparation of fresh estimates for the project. As per the latest estimates, the project will cost around Rs 246 crore. MSID:: 121418196 413 |
Hindustan Times
26-05-2025
- Automotive
- Hindustan Times
With Vision-2030, UP to put brakes on road mishap deaths
LUCKNOW The Yogi Adityanath government has drawn up a comprehensive Vision-2030 Road Safety Action Plan aiming to halve accident deaths by 2030 in the backdrop of UP's status as the state with the highest number of road accident fatalities in the country. The move follows directives from the ministry of road transport and highways (MoRTH) under Section 136(A) of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, and Rule 167(A) of the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989. The road map sets an annual fatality reduction target of 10% from 2025, using 2024 as the base year, with the goal of cutting total road accident deaths by 50% by 2030. In 2024, the state reported 24,118 road accident deaths — a 2% rise from 2023. Shockingly, the action plan reveals that nearly 40% of these victims died before receiving medical assistance, while 37% of fatal crashes were linked to speeding, 12% to drunk driving, and 8% to distracted driving such as mobile phone use. Children accounted for 8% of fatalities and 31% of serious injuries. The action plan prepared by the transport department, after extensive consultations with various stakeholders, will be forwarded to MoRTH after the state government's approval. It is grounded in a systematic, evidence-based and data-driven approach, anchored on the 5-E strategy: Engineering, Enforcement, Emergency Care, Education, and Environment. 'We have prepared Vision 2030, targeting year-wise reduction in fatalities. The action plan has been forwarded to the state government for final approval and will be submitted to the Centre through the state government very soon,' transport commissioner Brajesh Narain Singh told HT. The key steps include the establishment of empowered road safety committees in all districts, a state-level Integrated Command and Control Centre (ICCC), deployment of AI-based traffic management systems, CCTV surveillance and integration of databases like Vahan and Sarathi. He said states were preparing their Vision 2030 in compliance with the Supreme Court Committee on Road Safety directives to the centre. Under Vision 2030, the state will roll out a year-wise action plan from the current year to 2030 to overhaul road safety governance and implementation. District transport officers have been directed to submit inputs for the final plan, which also proposes strengthening enforcement mechanisms through coordination among key departments such as police, traffic, transport, PWD, and health. Special emphasis is being placed on addressing accident black spots, improving emergency response systems, and building capacities of trauma care facilities. The state also plans to upgrade driver training and licensing systems, integrate road safety audits into standard practices and run community-driven awareness campaigns, especially targeting school children and pedestrians. The institutionalisation of these efforts will be backed by the creation of a State Road Safety Authority, tasked with ensuring sustainability of reforms beyond 2030. The multi-pronged strategy calls for coordinated participation from departments, local bodies, NGOs, and private stakeholders to make UP's roads safer and protect its citizens. The plan outlines substantial infrastructure improvements across five phases: phase 1 (2025-26): focus on establishing foundational systems and emergency response protocols, phase 2 (2026-27): major highway safety upgrades and technology integration, phase 3 (2027-28): expansion to district and rural road networks, phase 4 (2028-29): implementation of advanced safety features and automation systems and phase 5 (2029-30): full system integration and performance optimization. The transport commissioner said a growing number of road accident deaths in the state was a matter of grave concern and the Vision-2030, he added, would help the state apply brakes to this worrying trend. DIGITAL INFRA EXPANSION SPEED CAMS to be deployed on all major state highways by 2026; automated traffic violation systems to also come up. AI-POWERED traffic management systems and GPS tracking across major highways to be installed. ELECTRONIC TOLL COLLECTION systems with real-time vehicle monitoring to be implemented. ROAD MAP sets an annual fatality reduction target of 10% from 2025, using 2024 as base year. NEARLY 40% of mishap victims in UP died before receiving medical assistance 37% of fatal crashes linked to speeding 12% to drunk driving 8% to distracted driving such as mobile phone use.
India.com
26-05-2025
- Automotive
- India.com
FASTag Annual Toll Pass: Unlimited Highway Travel For Rs 3,000? What Existing Users Should Know- In Details
FASTag Annual Toll Pass Price And Validity: The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) is likely to introduce annual and lifetime toll passes for private vehicle owners, aiming to make highway travel more seamless and cost-effective. According to media reports, these new toll passes would be integrated into the existing FASTag system. It's important to note that the annual and lifetime passes are currently in the proposal stage and have not yet been implemented. The proposed FASTag passes aim to simplify highway travel by eliminating the need for frequent recharges and reducing congestion at toll booths. The system is designed to work without requiring any additional equipment or documentation, representing a modern, forward-looking approach to toll collection in India. The Transport Ministry is also considering a dual-payment system under the new toll regime, giving users the option to choose between an Annual Pass and distance-based pricing. FASTag Annual Toll Pass: Price and Validity A one-time FASTag recharge of Rs 3,000 would allow private vehicle owners to travel across all national highways, state expressways, and other expressways without incurring additional toll charges for an entire year. This would eliminate the need to recharge FASTag accounts for every trip. Lifetime FASTag Toll Pass: Price And Validity Under the new toll regime, the government has shelved an earlier proposal that suggested a lifetime FASTag priced at Rs 30,000 for a 15-year validity period. Distance-Based FASTag Toll Pass: Price and Validity For occasional travelers, a flat toll of Rs 50 per 100 km may replace the current toll plaza fee structure. This model is often referred to as the 'pay-as-you-go' system. Will Existing FASTag Users Need New Accounts? According to the report, existing FASTag users will be able to opt into the new system without changing their account details or submitting additional documents. The annual pass will function through the current FASTag infrastructure. New Toll Pass System Features As reported by The Times of India, the new toll pass system is expected to improve traffic flow and simplify travel on national highways. It proposes the elimination of traditional toll booths and the implementation of sensor-based digital toll collection for barrier-free travel. This system would rely on GPS and automated vehicle tracking to facilitate toll deductions. Currently, private car owners can purchase a monthly rechargeable pass for ₹340, totaling ₹4,080 annually, which is valid for a single toll plaza.
