Maharashtra proposes doing away with attendants in heavy vehicles
However, the state's law and judiciary department and a section of the transport department itself, along with experts, have opposed the proposal, saying it goes against the existing rules and could lead to a rise in accidents on highways, according to officials. The move, if cleared, would affect millions of people employed as cleaners and helpers in over 1.2 million heavy vehicles in the state.
The transport department moved the proposal last month, citing similar moves by other states like Gujarat, and sought opinions from various state departments and officials. The proposal stated that although most other states require an attendant in heavy vehicles, Maharashtra can amend the rules for vehicles less than 18 metres in length by making a 360-degree vision camera mandatory.
However, the law and judiciary department, along with officials from the transport department and the office of the transport commissioner, have opposed the proposal, saying there needs to be a study of other potential effects of this rule change, including the loss of jobs and potential litigations. The law and judiciary department also said that amending the rules on the basis of vehicle length cannot be done, said officials from the transport department, requesting anonymity.
Rule 249 of the Maharashtra Motor Vehicle Rules 1989 makes it mandatory for a driver of a heavy goods and passenger motor vehicle to be accompanied by an attendant. 'The attendant shall be in a position to give warning of any traffic approaching from the rear and shall assist the driver by giving signals when the motor vehicle is being taken in reverse,' the rule states. On a national level, the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, does not specifically require attendants to be present in heavy vehicles or buses, except in certain cases, like school buses.
Maharashtra's transport department decided to move the proposal following a presentation by associations representing heavy vehicles. Bal Malkit Singh, former president of the All India Motor Transport Congress, who was involved in the discussions, said that the compulsion of having cleaners is an outdated concept that does not exist in other states and across the globe.
'The rules framed by the government making the cleaner mandatory are age-old and no longer required,' he said. 'The technology has changed—vehicles have dashboards, dash cameras, and GPS technology. Apart from this, the clutches, brakes, and wheels are so smooth that they do not give any fatigue to the driver like in the past. Road conditions have improved, and they are equipped with CCTV cameras. As such, the concept has been outdated and does not exist anywhere in the world. After our discussion and presentation, the state transport department has moved the proposal to do away with the cleaners,' he added.
Singh also said that attendants are unlikely to go jobless if the proposal is cleared, as there is a 22% shortage of drivers for heavy vehicles in the country. 'Vehicles have not been able to ply because of the shortage. The cleaners could be provided with driver training to enable them to take up the job of a driver,' he added. In April, Union transport minister Nitin Gadkari said in the Lok Sabha that India is facing a shortage of 2.2 million skilled drivers. The country has over 10 million trucks and lorries.
However, AV Shenoy, transport expert and member of the Mumbai Mobility Forum, said that such a decision would be suicidal at a time when India's road accident rate is among the highest in the world.
'If there is no concept of cleaners in other countries, [that's because] there are enough roadside facilities at a specific distance on highways for the rest and refreshment of drivers. The roads are in good condition and the technology of vehicles is much advanced. Cleaners provide physical assistance and psychological support to the drivers who drive for hours and mostly during the night because of the restrictions during daytime. Most of the time, the drivers of goods carriers are alone on highways, and in such a scenario, the cleaners play crucial roles,' he said.
According to a 2021 World Bank report, India accounts for 11% of global road accident deaths despite having only 1% of the world's vehicles. India records around 450,000 road accidents annually, leading to 150,000 deaths, the report said. Gadkari had said last month that about 180,000 people die in India every year due to road accidents.
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