The Seminar on “Road Safety During Dark Hours” was inaugurated by Shri Vijay Chhibber,Secretary, Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), addressed by Shri Sanjay Bandopadhyaya, Jt. Secretary, MoRTH and Shri K. K. Kapila, Chairman, IRF Geneva Programme Centre.

The Conference on the theme of Status of Road Safety and Safe Mobility Initiatives in India, being held on 15-16 January 2015, is a culmination of the Road Safety Week 2015, which is observed annually by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways all over the country. It will take stock of the status of road safety and safe mobility initiatives in the country over the past few years. This exercise acquires greater urgency in view of the framework and the schedule laid down by the 'UN Decade of Action for Road Safety' for halving the number of road accidents, fatalities and injuries in the world by the year 2020. The Decade of Action has been accepted by the Government of India. The growth and vibrancy of India's infrastructure programme is what inures India from global recessionary trends as was witnessed in the recent past. With a planned US$ 1 trillion equivalent investment in infrastructure in the 12th Five Year Plan, of which 35% was for the transport and road sector alone, the build-up of the sector has been impressive and is expected to further accelerate in the years ahead. Road Safety and related policies have also been changing in a major way and one would shortly see major changes through the Amendments of the Motor Vehicles Act through the Road Transport & Safety Bill 2014. The growing road sector demand, the large and diverse road network across the country, both rural and urban, and the fast growth of vehicle ownership fuelled by economic growth has implications for road safety outcomes. Although the statistics generate a sense of optimism in view of the fact that vehicle-kilometer of road travel is increasing with expansion of the network of higher category of roads, which allow travel at higher speeds, these surely hide the glaring problem of road safety, and we cannot afford to rest on our laurels. The number of road fatalities in 2013 still hovered around 1.4 lakh, making India's record indeed dismal, although in effective terms there has been some improvement. We are half way through the UN Decade of Action but still have a long way to go. This calls for a very systematic Mission to be taken up for making a difference and to achieve the target. It is time to take stock of our achievements and success, and the present Conference will deliberate on different topics related to the Status of Road Safety and Safe Mobility in the country and examine and make recommendations for The Way Forward. The Conference sub-themes would address the following issues:- • Legal Initiatives for Road Safety• Road Safety – Engineering Measures• Education and Awareness• In-vehicle Safety and Trauma Care• Australian Road Safety Expertise Session - A dedicated session to be organized by Members of the Australian Trade Delegation, inter alia covering research, audit, capacity building and management. The Conference would have a wide cross section of delegates representing all major stakeholders of the Road sector: Ministry of Road Transport & Highways, National Highways Authority of India, State Departments of Transport, State Public Works Departments, State Road Corporations, Civil Engineering Contractors, Consultants, Suppliers, Municipalities, Road Agencies/Authorities, Procurement Managers, Road and Bridge Builders and Maintenance Personnel, Road Building and Road Maintenance Companies, Road Safety Suppliers and Specialists, ITS and Communications Companies, Road Lighting and Signage Companies and Environment Experts etc. The diverse participation of so many experts, so intimately connected with road safety issues, would provide excellent business and networking opportunities with a platform to deliberate on state-of-the-art practices on various aspects of road safety.

In April 2014, the U.N. General Assembly has expressed its concern that the number of road traffic deaths still remains unacceptably high, with an estimated 1.24 million lives lost in 2010. Only 7% of the world’s population is covered by adequate laws that address all behavioral risk factors, including the non-use of helmets, safety belts and child restraints, driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs, inappropriate and excessive speed and the inappropriate use of cellular telephones, including texting while driving. Half of all road traffic deaths worldwide involve pedestrians, motorcyclists and cyclists and some developing countries have inadequate infrastructure and insufficient policies in place to protect these vulnerable road users. The 9th IRF Regional Conference on “Road Safety Initiatives: status and the way forward”, to be held in Delhi on 5 - 6 October 2015, will address these concerns by reviewing the initiatives carried out for Road Safety in India and in the entire region. At its 9th edition this year, the conference will explore in depth the necessary actions needed in the second half of the Decade of Action. Benefits to participants: The delegates will get ample opportunities for one-to-one interaction with experts, other participants as well as exhibitors, besides renewing contacts and networking, and for seeking solutions to their specific problems.

International Road Federation, India Chapter (IRF-IC), in association with Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRT&H) and a few other stakeholders have undertaken a number of initiatives, built around the 5 pillar strategy of the UN, formulated to achieve the target set under the UN Decade of Action, resolving to reduce the road related fatalities by 50% by 2020. Incremental improvements have been reported from the data collected by reliable agencies, however, the need of the hour is to prioritise the road safety programmes, implement it countrywide and monitor it for tangible outcomes. IRF India Chapter is going to organize a 2-day Seminar during the 27th Road Safety Week. The event, being organized in association with MoRT&H, on January 14-15, 2016 at the Multipurpose Hall, India International Centre, New Delhi, will have the theme of “Road Safety – Time for Action’’ The Seminar would focus on the following subjects : Safer Roads – Removal of Black SpotsMotor Vehicle Act and EnforcementRole of ITS in Road SafetyVehicular SafetyLicensing RegimeRoad Safety EducationTrauma Care

The IRF India Chapter organized a Seminar on the theme of “Environmental Protection and Safety during Construction” at the India International Centre, New Delhi on 13th – 14th July 2018. The Seminar was a part of IRF’s relentless mission aimed at reducing the number of road fatalities and injuries caused by accidents in the country, a substantial part of which occurs, among others, during the construction of roads and highways. Warmly welcoming the participants to the Seminar, Mr. G. Sharan, Chairman, IRF IC elaborated on the long and distinguished record of various activities of IRF IC and the incremental knowledge that would emerge from the deliberations of the Seminar. The Seminar, inaugurated by the Secretary, Ministry of Road Transport & Highways (MoRT&H), deliberated on different topics such as Design for Safety, Environmental Protection of Construction Projects, Technology, Safety during Construction and Safety Issues and Risks. Mr. K.K. Kapila, Chairman, IRF, delivered the Keynote 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 the Multilateral Institutions well versed with the road sector and related aspects addressed the sessions and elaborated on the sub-themes related to the seminar theme, making for an in-depth analysis of the various issues involved. The Seminar 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, road sector consultants, suppliers, manufacturers, contractors and concessionaires, ITS companies, environment experts etc. The diverse participation of experts and their intellectual exchanges during the various Technical sessions have been captured in the Recommendations of the Seminar and sent to the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways for their consideration and appropriate policy formulation. IRF has been undertaking initiatives under the 4Es – Engineering (roads and vehicular), Education (bring about attitudinal change in the school children through consistent road safety education; education of masses through mass media campaigns – screening of short films in cinemas, etc.), Emergency Care towards strengthening trauma management during pre-hospital care, Enforcement for better traffic and road user management. The Featured Event on Road Safety covered on 3 aspects, through Panel discussions on: Safe Roads, Safe Vehicles, Safe RidingEducation, Advocacy, Behaviour and EnforcementTrauma Care during the Golden Hour Panel discussion 1 focused on road infrastructure and safety features of vehicles, external modifications of vehicles, annual inspections, etc. Panel discussion 2 examined how road safety education at school levels influences the attitudes towards road safety, advocacy to influence peer groups, road user behaviour in a given circumstance and enforcement to contain traffic offences and violations. Panel discussion 3 discussed ways and means to create capacities of trained first responders, thereby saving precious lives. The Recommendations arising out of these panel discussions were collated in the Concluding Session, and are being appropriately taken forward for implementation.

To showcase innovation and provide a platform to share the future of the mobility landscape, NITI Aayog hosted the first MOVE Summit 2018 in New Delhi on 7th & 8th September 2018. The initiative aimed at creating a public interest framework to revolutionize transport, in partnership with stakeholders from across the mobility and transportation sectors. As a part of this initiative, International Road Federation in association with the PHD Chambers of Commerce & Industry, and with the support of NITI Aayog, organized a Curtain Raiser to MOVE Summit 2018, themed “Fast Tracking Road Safety”, highlighting the complementary role of Road Safety to the Summit’s interconnected objectives of access for all, efficiency, safety and green mobility. “Fast Tracking Road Safety” is an IRF IC programme series to consistently bring to the fore, the efforts required under the 4E pillar strategy of the United Nations, developed in 2010 after the adoption of Resolution Res/64/255. The strategy focuses on improving global road safety through taking suitable action/initiatives under the 4Es (Engineering, Education, Emergency Care and Enforcement).  The aspect of Environment is also being focused on, as the 5th E. The UN Decade of Action for Road Safety, to which India is also committed, envisages 50% reduction in road traffic fatalities by 2020.  A number of countries including India are signatory to this. The Curtain Raiser focused on the facets that would enable an improved road safety scenario to take it closer to the UN Decadal goals. IRF has been undertaking initiatives under the 4Es – Engineering (roads and vehicular), Education (bring about attitudinal change in the school children through consistent road safety education; education of masses through mass media campaigns – screening of short films in cinemas, etc.), Emergency Care towards strengthening trauma management during pre-hospital care, Enforcement for better traffic and road user management. The Featured Event on Road Safety covered on 3 aspects, through Panel discussions on: Safe Roads, Safe Vehicles, Safe RidingEducation, Advocacy, Behaviour and EnforcementTrauma Care during the Golden Hour Panel discussion 1 focused on road infrastructure and safety features of vehicles, external modifications of vehicles, annual inspections, etc. Panel discussion 2 examined how road safety education at school levels influences the attitudes towards road safety, advocacy to influence peer groups, road user behaviour in a given circumstance and enforcement to contain traffic offences and violations. Panel discussion 3 discussed ways and means to create capacities of trained first responders, thereby saving precious lives. The Recommendations arising out of these panel discussions were collated in the Concluding Session, and are being appropriately taken forward for implementation.

During the Road Safety Week 2019, the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways (MoRT&H), sanctioned to International Road Federation - India Chapter (IRF IC), First Responder eFD Training on NH-24 Delhi-Meerut Stretch project. The project was carried out in two stages: (a) Pre-survey for meeting with District officials and Heads of Institutions, identifying training locations and enrolling participants and (b) Training of the identified participants. The training was conducted from 22nd January 2020 to 13th February 2020 at 7 locations; Duhai, Rajnagar Extn., Morta, Muradnagar, Mohiuddinpur, Bhadbhuaral, Subharti College, Bypass Road Meerut and Surajmal College, Sakhoti Tiraha Bypass. The resulting training of 330 trainees as against the targeted 245 trainees under the project has resulted in incremental safety on the National Highway 24 Delhi-Meerut Highway stretch through creating a pool of 330 trained First Responders.