The Hindu Business Line : Panel moots apex body for road safety

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New Delhi Feb 20 An expert committee has called for the setting up of an apex body called the National Road Safety and Traffic Management Board to promote road safety and traffic management in the country. The body should be constituted through an Act of Parliament with members and experts drawn from various fields including road engineering, automobile engineering, traffic laws and medical care. The committee suggested earmarking one per cent of the total proceeds from cess on diesel and petrol towards the Road Safety Fund.

The committee chairman, Mr S. Sundar, presented the report to the Union Minister of Shipping, Road Transport and Highways, Mr T.R. Baalu here on Tuesday. The committee was set up on the directions of the Committee on Infrastructure headed by the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, in November 2005, recognising the need to contain burgeoning road accidents and fatalities in the country.

The committee has proposed regulatory as well as advisory functions for the Board. The regulatory functions include setting standards and designs for mechanically propelled vehicles and National Highways. In its advisory role, the Board would advise the Government on various road safety aspects and promote road safety research, road-user behaviour strategies, and lay guidelines for establishing medical care and rehabilitation, an official release stated. The Board would also have powers to issue directions for corrective measures and conduct safety audits, it has recommended.

Setting up of State-level bodies or State Road Safety Boards is also required. The functions of the State Board would be to aid and advise state governments on matters relating to road safety and traffic management, coordinate road safety and traffic management functions with State-level agencies, specify minimum standards for design, construction and operation of roads among others.