Latest news with #MotorVehicles(Amendment)Act
Time of India
25-07-2025
- Automotive
- Time of India
GIT flags engg flaw on NH-48 curve; NHAI urged to act soon
Pic: The stretch on NH-48 between Pune and Bengaluru has been marked as a black spot Belagavi: Professors from KLS Gogte Institute of Technology (GIT), Belagavi, identified a critical engineering flaw in the construction of Pune-Bengaluru National Highway-48 at the Badekollamath curve, an accident-prone stretch located about 18km from the city. The curve has been the scene of 18 accidents in recent years and has been officially designated a black spot by police. Acting on a request from Belagavi City police commissioner Bhushan Borase, GIT conducted a technical survey of the spot. The findings, submitted to the police department, were forwarded to the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) for immediate corrective action. The survey, carried out by professors Archana Shagoti, Somanath Khot, and Kartik Kulkarni, revealed serious deficiencies in the road's geometric design, especially at a descending curve. The team found that the curve's radius is only 220 metres, which is below the 230-metre minimum recommended by the Indian Roads Congress (IRC) for areas with an 80 km/h speed limit. Additionally, the report points to a dangerous narrowing of the carriageway near an underpass — from 11.1 metres to just 9.5 metres — greatly increasing the risk of collisions. The GIT team also observed frequent overspeeding on the undulating terrain and poor lane discipline, further contributing to the high accident rate. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Do you have a mouse? Desert Order Undo While some safety measures like rumble strips and concrete crash barriers were already put in place, the professors found these interventions to be insufficient given the severity of the issue. Urgent recommendations To mitigate further accidents, the report recommends strict enforcement of a reduced speed limit of 65 km/h with clearly visible signage, installation of flashing warning lights at regular intervals, replacement of outdated guardrails with modern crash barriers, enhanced lane discipline through improved road markings, and deployment of smart surveillance cameras. Legal provisions for accountability Speaking to TOI, police commissioner Bhushan Borase said the role of police is to identify accident-prone black spots and submit the report to the relevant authorities. "There is a Supreme Court-appointed high-power committee on road safety, which directs police to report such sites. If the authorities fail to rectify the problem, contractors can be held liable and blacklisted under Section 198(A) of the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act, 2019," he stated. Borase also noted that the curve sees a spike in accidents during the monsoon, underlining the urgency for infrastructural intervention.
Time of India
06-07-2025
- Time of India
24 Gadchiroli Guardians Charged For Allowing Minors To Drive Without Licence
Nagpur: In a stringent crackdown on traffic violations, Gadchiroli Police registered cases against 24 guardians for permitting their minor children to operate two-wheelers without valid licences. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The action was taken during a special checkpoint operation conducted at five key locations across the city on June 29 and July 3, aimed at curbing rising accidents and ensuring disciplined traffic movement. The initiative comes in response to an alarming increase in road accidents in Gadchiroli, a district once known as a backward Maoist hotbed but now rapidly transforming into a steel hub. Economic development and a surge in personal vehicle ownership have led to growing traffic congestion, reckless driving, other violations, and a spike in accidents, particularly involving minors. Superintendent of Police (SP) Gadchiroli, Neelotpal, issued directives to enforce strict legal action against errant drivers to promote road safety. "The spurt in sales of two-wheelers has come with a challenge for police to enforce the traffic rules as urbanisation in Gadchiroli after the Maoist fall is significant. We have observed a striking rise in minors engaging in rash two-wheeler driving and involving in critical accidents," said Neelotpal. During the recent operation, police identified several minors riding two-wheelers without licences, holding their guardians accountable under Section 199(A) of the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act, 2019. This law imposes severe penalties on guardians or vehicle owners who allow minors to drive, including up to three years of imprisonment, a fine of Rs25,000, or both. Minors involved face proceedings under the Juvenile Justice Act, 2015, before the Juvenile Justice Board. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The police also seized vehicles involved in these violations, signalling a zero-tolerance approach. SP Neelotpal emphasized, "Allowing minors to drive without licence endangers lives and disrupts public safety. Parents must ensure compliance with traffic rules." He warned that enforcement drives would intensify to maintain vigilance. Gadchiroli's rapid economic growth has brought new challenges. Once plagued by insurgency, the district is now witnessing increased vehicular traffic due to industrial projects and improved connectivity. The establishment of steel plants and infrastructure development has attracted workers and businesses, boosting vehicle ownership. However, this progress has been marred by a rise in social and traffic-related crimes, said a police source. Unregulated driving, speeding, and underage driving have contributed to a 30% increase in road accidents over the past year, according to police data. The district's transformation into a steel hub has amplified the need for robust traffic management to prevent further chaos on its roads. The operation was led by SP Neelotpal, with additional SP (Administration) Satya Sai Karthik, additional SP Gadchiroli Gokul Raj, and sub-divisional police officer Suraj Jagtap overseeing the effort. Inspector Vinod Chavan of Gadchiroli Police Station, along with traffic branch sub-inspector Sharad Meshram and other personnel, executed the campaign with precision.
The Hindu
02-07-2025
- Automotive
- The Hindu
Centre gives green signal for bike taxis; Rapido hails move
The Centre has allowed inclusion of 'non-transport motorcycles' by ride hailing apps in its revised guidelines for taxi aggregators at a time States like Karnataka have banned bike taxis. The guidelines issued by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) on July 1 provide a regulatory framework for State governments to issue licences and regulate aggregators. It says State governments may adopt these revised guidelines within three months. Clause 23.1 of the Motor Vehicles Aggregator Guidelines states, 'the State government may allow aggregation of non-transport motorcycles for journey by passengers as shared mobility through aggregators,' adding that this will help in reducing traffic congestion, vehicular pollution and provide passenger mobility, hyperlocal delivery, and create livelihood opportunities. Bike hailing app Rapido welcomed the move. 'By recognising non-transport motorcycles as a means of shared mobility, the government has opened the door to more affordable transportation options for millions, especially in underserved and hyperlocal areas,' it said in a press statement. Concurrent subject While transport is a concurrent subject, State governments may follow guidelines issued by the Central government while issuing licence to aggregators, as per Section 36 of the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act, 2019. The Indian Federation of App-Based Transport Workers (IFAT) has opposed the move and said non-transport bikes, or those with white plates, must not be allowed to operate as taxis. 'Bike taxis operating on white number plate [private] motorcycles remain illegal. These services compromise passenger safety, evade taxes, and hurt the livelihood of licensed taxi, auto, and bike drivers,' said Shaik Salauddin, National General Secretary, IFAT and Founder President, Telangana Gig and Platform Workers Union (TGPWU). They reiterated their demand to the Telangana government to ban such services. In April 2025, a single judge of the Karnataka High Court ordered Ola, Uber and Rapido to cease their bike-taxis' operations unless the State government framed proper guidelines. The Bench gave them time till June 15 to shut their two-wheeler shop. Ride aggregators have appealed against the order. The State government held the opinion that two-wheelers are not safe for commuters, especially for women. It is opposed to use of bikes registered for personal use for commercial purposes. In other changes, the Centre's guidelines allow aggregators to charge up to twice the base fare during peak hours as compared to the maximum of 1.5 times allowed earlier, while maintaining a minimum of 50% during off-peak periods. The guidelines though have dropped the requirement of maximum number of hours drivers can log. In the 2020 guidelines, drivers could not work for more than 12 hours per day and were required to be given a mandatory break of 10 hours after a 12-hour duty. The IFAT has opposed surge pricing and urged that State governments to 'fix minimum and maximum fares to stop arbitrary pricing by app companies. The current model benefits only the aggregators, while customers overpay, and drivers receive inconsistent, unfair payments,' its press statement said.
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Business Standard
26-06-2025
- Automotive
- Business Standard
Gadkari calls e-rickshaw push his biggest achievement in the past 11 years
Around 15 million people engaged in the manual labour of carrying and ferrying people on their shoulders were freed from the exploitative labour after mechanised e-rickshaws were introduced in 2014, said Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari. Calling it his biggest personal achievement in the past 11 years, Gadkari said in an interview with Business Standard that millions were engaged in this exploitative labour, especially in states like Jharkhand and West Bengal. Introduction of e-rickshaws in India While e-rickshaws began operating in cities without formal regulations, the government made amendments to the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act in 2015 to legalise and regulate them, after recognising their potential to offer affordable and eco-friendly transportation. The Act defined e-rickshaws as a special-purpose battery-powered vehicle for last mile connectivity. Ever since e-rickshaws were included in the ambit of the Motor Vehicles Act, it has gained popularity, especially in the urban and semi-urban areas as a low-cost and zero-emission transport, which offers last-mile connectivity. Why were e-rickshaws introduced? The policy to bring e-rickshaws under the ambit of the Motor Vehicles Act aimed to address several challenges in urban mobility and environmental sustainability. This battery-powered mode of transport provides sustainable and last-mile connectivity to passengers, generates employment, especially for those who were previously involved in the act of carrying or ferrying people on their shoulders or pulling a rickshaw. Star rating for e-rickshaws According to a report in The Times of India, the government is likely to introduce a 'star rating' for e-rickshaws, a move that will ensure that these e-rickshaws have better structural stability and cannot run beyond 25 kmph. The move by the Centre aims to address the safety concerns related to this special-purpose battery-powered vehicle. Gadkari made the announcement earlier this April at an event. He said, 'Govt is working on standards and a safety assessment system for battery-operated e-rickshaws in the country as they suffer from safety issues.' The minister said safety improvements in e-rickshaws will help in improving their quality and generating employment. According to an India Today report, the penetration of e-rickshaws is expected to be faster than that of two-wheelers or buses, reaching 70 per cent by 2030 in the best-case scenario.
