UP highlights road safety as a key focus at national workshop

Time of India

5 days ago

The 25th
National Workshop on Road Safety
and Best Practices, held in New Delhi, brought together transport officials and industry stakeholders to address the growing concern over road accidents and promote structured interventions for safer mobility.
Organised jointly by the
All India Federation of Motor Vehicle Department Technical Executive Officers Association
and the Transport Regional Inspectors Service Association, the two-day event included participation from states such as Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, and West Bengal.
Emphasis on road safety commitment
Speaking at the inaugural session, Dayashankar Singh, Transport Minister of Uttar Pradesh, said the state is advancing its road safety agenda despite limited resources. 'We are continuously introducing new initiatives, focusing on vehicle fitness and child awareness,' he said.
Transport Commissioner Brijesh Narayan Singh noted that the 50% reduction target in accident fatalities set by CM Yogi Adityanath is more than an administrative benchmark. 'Road safety transcends mere statistics – it is about safeguarding the lives of every individual and living being,' Singh said. He added that the state's 'Vision 2030 Roadmap' is based on the four pillars of education, engineering, enforcement, and emergency response.
Helmet safety and policy recommendations
Rajeev Kapur, MD, Steelbird Helmets and President of the Two-Wheeler Helmet Manufacturers Association of India, highlighted the issue of counterfeit helmets and the gap between supply and demand. 'India faces a significant helmet shortage, with 50 per cent of helmets in the market being counterfeit,' he said.
Kapur called for stronger enforcement of rules related to helmet compliance, including penalties for fake helmets and support for certified helmet manufacturing. 'To bridge the gap, we need a fourfold increase in helmet production, requiring an investment of ₹6,000 crore, 2 crore sq. ft. of space, and 80,000 workers.'
He outlined the roadmap of
Mission Save Lives 2.0
, a national campaign aimed at promoting BIS-certified helmets, which includes plans for a phased implementation: starting with Tier 1 cities in 2028, moving to Tier 2 by 2029, and reaching Tier 3 cities and rural areas by 2031.
Other proposals under the initiative include mandatory BIS-certified helmets from two-wheeler manufacturers starting January 2027, real-time BIS license audits, and the establishment of in-house BIS-approved testing labs. The mission also calls for reducing GST on helmets from 18% to 12% and classifying them as essential safety equipment.
According to data from 2023, India recorded around 1.72 lakh road fatalities and 4.63 lakh injuries. Two-wheeler users accounted for nearly 45% of deaths, with approximately 54,000 linked directly to the non-use of helmets. Pedestrians accounted for another 20 per cent, underlining the need for sustained focus on vulnerable road users.