International Road Federation – India Chapter (IRF-IC) in association with its esteemed member, Avery Dennison, has organized a half-day Seminar on “Safer Roads & Safer Mobility” on Tuesday, 14th June 2022 from 9:30 AM to 1:00 PM at Seminar Hall No. 1, 2 & 3, India International Centre, 40, Max Mueller Marg, New Delhi – 110003.

IRF India Chapter organized the 1st Webinar in the series, titled “Road Safety Education & Awareness – A Comprehensive Approach” on 20th September 2022 from 13:30 – 18:00 Hrs. At the outset, Mr. Satish Parakh, President, IRF-IC welcomed the participants at the Webinar. He set the context of the webinar and also briefed the participants about the Webinar series. He invited Mr. K.K. Kapila, President (Emeritus), IRF for his Keynote Address. Mr. K.K. Kapila, welcomed the participants and spoke about IRF-IC’s recent activities including 5Es activities that IRF-IC has undertaken in the 7 states of India. He also informed the audience about Road Safety Anthem, which IRF has produced in 23 regional and 10 international languages. He welcomed Mr. Gaurav Hariom Gupta, Director, MoRT&H for Ministry’s work in the road safety domain. He, as a Moderator, introduced the Speakers of the Webinar, who are as under:- 1. Mr. Akhilesh Srivastava, Advisor, World Economic Forum (Topic: School Curriculum on Road Safety & Road Safety Club in Schools) 2. Prof. Prajapati Trivedi, Commonwealth Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for SDG Implementation & Distinguished Professor, Management Development Institute, (Topic: Culture of Road Safety starting from Schools & Role and Responsibility of Parents, Teachers, School Administration) 3. Mr. N. Balasubramanian, Skilling Consultant & Master Trainer Road Safety (Topic: Safety in School Transport Fleet & Training of Drivers of School Fleet) 4. Dr. P.K. Sarkar, Consultant, Transport Planning (Topic: Safety for School Buses Using RFID Technology) Summing up the insights gained from the Presentations, Mr. K.K. Kapila conducted the Question & Answer session. Recording of 1st Webinar on the subject “Road Safety Education During Formative Years”

IRF India Chapter organized the 2nd Webinar in the series, titled “Road Safety Education & Awareness – A Comprehensive Approach” on 20th October 2022 from 15:30 – 18:00 Hrs. At the outset, Mr. K.K. Kapila, President (Emeritus), IRF welcomed the participants at the Webinar. He set the context of the webinar and also briefed the participants about the Webinar series. He spoke about IRF-IC’s recent activities including 5Es activities that IRF-IC has undertaken in the 7 states of India. He also informed the audience about Road Safety Anthem, which IRF has produced in 23 regional and 10 international languages. He introduced Prof. P.K. Sikdar, as a Moderator, of the Webinar. Prof. P.K. Sikdar while introducing the Webinar, shared his presentation and introduced the Speakers of the Webinar. 1. Dr. Navdeep Asija, Traffic Advisor, Government of Punjab (Topic: Focused measures on VRUs) 2. Mr. Rajeev Kapur, Managing Director, Steelbird H-Tech India, (Topic: Mass scale initiatives like use of helmets, lane driving, reflectors, etc. to maximize the impact) 3. Dr. H.M. Naqvi, Chief General Manager, NHAI (Topic: Role of Local & Central Governments) 4. Ms. Aishwarya Raman, Executive Director, OMI Foundation (Topic: Role of Local & Central Governments – A Case Study) 5. Dr. Ammu Gopalakrishnan, Specialist – Traffic Engineering, 3M India Limited (Topic: Road Safety Measures for Vulnerable Road Users) 6. Mr. Pankaj Singh, Head of Safety – Cement Business, Adani Group (Topic: Facilitate Infrastructure for VRUs) Summing up the insights gained from the Presentations, Prof. P.K. Sikdar conducted the Question & Answer session. Recording of 2nd Webinar on the subject “Awareness around Vulnerable Road Users (VRUs) : Biggest Lever for Enhancing Road Safety”

IRF India Chapter organized the 3rd and concluding Webinar in the series, titled “Road Safety Education & Awareness – A Comprehensive Approach” on 7th December 2022 from 15:30 – 17:30 Hrs. Prof. P.K. Sikdar, Advisor, IRF-IC welcomed the participants at the Webinar. He set the context and briefed the participants about the Webinar series. He opined that creating awareness to road safety is one of the key aspects of 5Es of safe road system and knowledge creation was a continuous and iterative process. IRF India’s current webinar series strived in that direction. The present webinar, he mentioned, will present notable Janbhagidari efforts by few not-for-government organizations. With this, he introduced the Webinar Moderator, Prof. Manoranjan Parida, Director, Central Road Research Institute (CRRI). Prof. Parida introduced the Webinar and the Speakers. 1. Mr. Akhilesh Srivastava, Road Safety Ambassador, IRF (Topic: Role of Social Media for Educating Masses on Road Safety) 2. Mr. Jehaan Kotwal, Director, GoodMind, (Topic: Sensitization of Truck Drivers to Road Safety – An Initiative by HumSafer) 3. Ms. Rajni Gandhi, General Secretary, TRAX Sports Society (Topic: Right Messaging in Road Safety Awareness & Education – Role of Media) 4. Prof. P.K. Sikdar, Advisor, IRF - IC (Topic: Sensitizing Stakeholders for Safety of VRUs) 5. Ms. Vandana Lakhanpal, Co-Founder, Prabhaav Foundation (Topic: Role of Civil Society / Community for Public Awareness on Road Safety (Janbhagidari)) Summing up the insights gained from the Presentations, Prof. Manoranjan Parida conducted the Question & Answer session. Recording of 3rd Webinar on the subject “Role of Stakeholders in Creating Awareness for Road Safety”

The IRF India Chapter organized a Conference on the theme of “Fast Tracking Road Safety Through 5Es” at the India International Centre, New Delhi on 17th January 2023.The Conference was a part of IRF’s relentless mission aimed at reducing the number of road fatalities and injuries caused by accidents in the country. Warmly welcoming the participants to the Conference, Mr. Satish Parakh, President, IRF IC elaborated on the long and distinguished record of various activities of IRF IC and particularly its work on the 5Es of Road Safety, namely, Engineering of Roads, Engineering of Vehicles, Education, Enforcement and Traffic Management and Emergency Care. He felt that incremental knowledge would emerge from the deliberations of the Conference. The Conference was inaugurated by the Chief Guest, Justice (Retd.) Adarsh Kumar Goel, Chairperson, National Green Tribunal.  The Guest of Honour at the event was Justice (Retd.) J.R. Midha. Mr. K.K. Kapila, Chairman, IRF, delivered the Thematic address elaborating on the five E’s of Road safety, which is the key to improvement in the road safety scenario in the country. Professionals from Government, Industry and Not for profit organizations well versed with the 5Es of road sector namely, Engineering, Education, Enforcement, and Emergency Care and related aspects addressed the sessions and elaborated on the sub-themes related to the conference theme, making for an in-depth analysis of the various issues involved. The Conference was well attended by delegates and invitees representing all major stakeholders of the road sector; Ministry of Road Transport, National Highways Authority of India, State Departments and Institutions, Police officials, road sector consultants, suppliers, manufacturers, contractors and concessionaires, ITS companies, environment experts, etc. The Event covered on 5 aspects, through Panel discussions on: Engineering of RoadsVehicular Engineering & Policy CorrectionsRoad Safety Education & Mass AwarenessEnforcement & Traffic ManagementEmergency Care Management The Recommendations arising out of these panel discussions are being collated to be appropriately taken forward for implementation.

IRF India Chapter organized a Conference titled “Vision Zero : Targeting Road Safety by 5Es with Innovative Technologies” on 24th January 2024 from 02:30 pm – 07:30 pm as part of the Observance of Road Safety Month 2024. The Conference was supported by the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways and Sponsored by Maruti Suzuki India Ltd. The Conference was graced by the Hon’ble Minister, MoRT&H, Shri. Nitin J. Gadkari Ji, Shri. Anurag Jain, IAS, Secretary (RT&H), Shri. Sudhendju J. Sinha, Advisor, Niti Aayog and distinguished Speakers from the Government and the Industry. The Conference was divided into:- Inaugural Session Technical Session – 1 Technical Session – 2 Session with the Chief Guest, Hon’ble Minister, MoRT&H Key highlights of the event are as under:- At the Inaugural session, IRF president emeritus K K Kapila said promoting a safe transportation system required a holistic approach including engineering of roads, engineering of vehicles, enforcement, education and emergency care. In his Keynote Address at the Inaugural Session, Mr. Anurag Jain, IAS, Secretary, MoRT&H said road safety audit of all national highways (NHs) in the country will be achieved soon and the ministry plans to launch zero complaint for road maintenance, making all highways fully maintained by the authorities concerned. He further said about 4,000 black spots have been rectified in the last three years. "At present, more than 9,000 black spots have been identified...The ministry has set a challenging target of March 2025 to rectify all black spots in the country," he said. The linked authorities will be held responsible for pot holes and poor maintenance of roads soon and make them accountable, he added. He informed that across the nation very soon, MoRTH plans to introduce cashless medical treatment for all injured accident victims. In his address, the Hon’ble Minister (RT&H) informed that the Ministry will soon be adopting qualitative tendering process instead of least cost bidding process to bring in quality and road safety in various projects as qualitative tendering will help incorporating safer road safety features in designs keeping in mind the behavior of the road users. He mentioned that “there have been several cases where officers in the Ministry have down away with safety features in highway projects to bring down costs and in the name of making them financially viable. Road engineering is the biggest culprit for increasing road accidents in the country. Recently road safety audit was done of seven roads in the country about 57 engineering shortcomings were found on Pune-Mumbai expressway alone and 25-28 percent engineering defects on other roads. After rectification of 57 faults on Pune-Mumbai expressway the accident rate has almost come down to zero” said Mr. Gadkari. Photo Gallery Media Coverage: https://www.financialexpress.com/business/roadways-highways-ministry-to-adopt-qualitative-tendering-process-instead-of-l1-system-says-nitin-gadkari-3375463/ https://www.businessworld.in/article/Highway-Ministry-Adopts-Quality-cost-Evaluation-For-Road-Projects-Bids/26-01-2024-507680/ https://www.business-standard.com/industry/news/govt-to-adopt-qualitative-tendering-process-instead-of-l1-system-gadkari-124012500624_1.html https://www.psuconnect.in/news/morth-to-change-tendering-system-soon-from-l1-bids/40959/    

The need for efficient and sustainable road infrastructure has become more crucial than ever in present day.  The demand for well-designed and well-maintained roads has increased tremendously. To meet the rapidly growing population & expanding urbanization, it is imperative to revolutionize road infrastructure development by incorporating modern equipment, cutting-edge technologies, sustainable materials, and comprehensive policy guidelines. Traditional methods of road construction and maintenance are often time-consuming, labour-intensive, and prone to producing low quality. By embracing advanced machinery and tools, such as automated pavers, intelligent compaction systems, and robotic surveying devices, we can significantly enhance the efficiency and accuracy of road construction processes. Furthermore, the integration of cutting-edge technologies is essential in revolutionizing road infrastructure. Technologies like Geographic Information Systems (GIS), Building Information Modelling (BIM), and AI can provide planning, implementation and management of real-time data and insights, enabling better planning, design, and maintenance of roads. Traditional road construction materials, such as asphalt, have significant environmental impacts due to their high carbon footprint and non-renewable nature. The sustainable alternatives like recycled materials, bio-based binders, and permeable pavements, can not only contribute to a greener future but also provide cost-effective solutions in the long run. Lastly, comprehensive policy guidelines are crucial for revolutionizing road infrastructure. Governments and regulatory bodies need to establish clear and forward-thinking policies that promote the adoption of modern equipment, technologies, and sustainable materials should encourage innovation, with appropriate research and development, and ensure the implementation of best practices in road construction and maintenance. IRF India's forthcoming National Conference-cum-Exhibition to be held during February 29 - March 1, 2024 will strive to bring together the above aspects through a wide range of Presentations made by Experts as well as showcase for the technologies in the Exhibition which will run concurrently.   Media Coverage https://www.devdiscourse.com/article/technology/2844333-india-built-around-92000-km-national-highways-in-last-95-years-jain https://www.newsdrum.in/business/india-built-around-92000-km-national-highways-in-last-95-years-jain-4130030 https://m.economictimes.com/news/economy/infrastructure/govt-has-built-95000-km-of-national-highways-in-last-10-years-road-secretary-anurag-jain/articleshow/108104576.cms https://www.zeebiz.com/india/news-india-built-around-92000-km-national-highways-in-last-95-years-morth-secretary-278483 https://www.deccanherald.com/india/india-built-92000-kms-of-national-highway-in-last-decade-transport-secretary-anurag-jain-2915734 https://thefederal.com/category/business/india-built-92000-km-of-national-highways-in-last-95-years-jain-112046 https://www.ibc24.in/business/india-built-92000-km-of-national-highways-in-last-95-years-jain-2394277.html https://www.financialexpress.com/business/roadways-morth-acheives-significant-milestone-in-last-9-5-years-india-built-around-92000-km-national-highways-details-3409523/ https://orissadiary.com/india-has-built-around-92000-km-national-highways-in-last-nine-and-half-years/ https://westerntimesnews.in/news/305318/india-has-built-around-92000-km-national-highways-in-last-nine-and-half-years/ https://www.zeebiz.com/india/news-india-built-around-92000-km-national-highways-in-last-95-years-morth-secretary-278483 https://www.navbug.uk/article508811415/morth_achieves_significant_milestone_in_last_9_5_years_india_built_around_92_000_km_national_highways_details.htm https://indiashippingnews.com/around-92000-km-national-highways-have-been-built-in-last-9-5-years-morth/ https://thefederal.com/category/business/india-built-92000-km-of-national-highways-in-last-95-years-jain-112046 https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/national-highway-construction-set-to-touch-95000-km-in-10-years-of-modi-government/articleshow/108117513.cms https://en.sangritimes.com/india-has-constructed-a-network-of-92000-km-of-national-highways-in-the-last-95-years-this-new-record-will-be-made-soon https://www.mypunepulse.com/india-over-95000-kms-of-national-highways-built-in-last-one-decade-major-boost-to-infra-development/ https://pune.news/nation/india-achieves-milestone-over-95000-kilometers-of-national-highways-built-in-the-last-decade-147128/