Motor Vehicles Bill does not take away powers of state govts: Gadkari
New Delhi, July 22 (UNI): Union road transport and highways minister Nitin Gadkari on Monday assured the Lok Sabha that the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill, 2019, was to provide for road safety and it does not take away powers of state governments and no compulsion on any state to implement it.
The proposed bill seeks to address the issues relating to road safety, citizen facilitation, strengthening pubic transport, automation and computerisation.
Moving the bill for consideration and passing, Gadkari expressed concern over road accidents in the country and said almost 1.5 lakh lives are lost every year on roads.
Admitting it was his department's failure not able to check road accidents, Gadkari said: "I tried hard and could reduce the number of deaths by just three to four per cent.”
He said the bill was prepared jointly after transport ministers of as many as 18 states studied it.
The minister said under the bill, there is a provision that a test for driving licence would be held under camera and computer so that no bogus driving licence was issued.
He said now the duration of transport licence will be five years while earlier it was three years.
The minister said registration of vehicles system will be completely linked by e-governance.
Under the bill, there is a provision of cashless treatment of road accident victims during golden hour.
Mr Gadkari said a national transport policy is being made to bring improvement in transportation and there is no compulsion on any state to implement it.
The bill seeks to amend the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 to provide for road safety. The act provides for grant of licenses and permits related to motor vehicles, standards for motor vehicles, and penalties for violation of these provisions.
The bill increases the minimum compensation for hit and run cases as in case of death, from Rs 25,000 to two lakh rupees, and in case of grievous injury, from Rs 12,500 to Rs 50,000.
The bill defines a good samaritan as a person who renders emergency medical or non-medical assistance to a victim at the scene of an accident.
The maximum penalty for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs has been increased from Rs 2,000 to Rs 10,000.
The bill defines aggregators as digital intermediaries or market places which can be used by passengers to connect with a driver for transportation purposes (taxi services).
These aggregators will be issued licenses by state. Further, they must comply with the Information Technology Act, 2000.
Congress member Anto Antony and BJP member Gopal Chinayya Shetty took part in the discussion on the Bill.
The discussion on the bill will resume tomorrow.
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