New Delhi: Union Minister for Road Transport & Highways, Shipping, Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation Shri Nitin Gadkari has announced that soon there will be no human interface in granting driving licences to heavy vehicle drivers in the country. Launching the scheme for District Driving Training Centres in New Delhi today, he said, the process of approving such driving licenses will be made fully computerised. This will immensely reduce the instances of bogus driving licences, and will result in lesser number of accidents on the roads.
The Minister also launched a mobile App and Toll-free Emergency number for highway users together with Union Minister for Petroleum, Natural Gas, Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Shri Dharmendra Pradhan.
Shri Nitin Gadkari said, the Sukhad Yatra mobile application will empower the highway users by giving information on toll rates as they approach the toll plaza. The key feature of the app includes provision for the user to enter road quality-related information or to report any accident or pothole on the highway. It also provides users with real-time data related to waiting time expected at Plazas and various facilities like points of interest, highway nest/nest mini, etc., available across the highway. The app can also be used by the users to purchase the FASTag tag and further facilitate the highway user experience.
Shri Gadkari said, the toll-free number – 1033, will enable users to report an emergency condition, or highway-related feedback, across the highway. The service has also integrated with various ambulance/tow away services along the road to ensure rapid response time in emergency. The service is supported by a multi-lingual support and user location tracking features to provide the user with accurate and responsive complaint resolution
The Minister announced that at least one model driving training centre will be set up in each district of the State or UT. Financial assistance of up to Rs. 1 Crore will be provided by the Ministry. The agency will invest equal amount of grant under the scheme. The scheme is designed with an objective of creating employment and meeting the requirement of HMV and LMV drivers in the country. It also aims at inculcating the habit of road safety, like behavioral and attitudinal changes among drivers. Training course will be conducted for drivers who carry dangerous/hazardous goods. The agencies willing to open the centre shall be required to provide infrastructure facilities like land, class rooms, simulator, etc.
He said, under the scheme for grant of financial assistance for administering Road Safety Advocacy and awards for the outstanding done in the field of Road Safety, assistance up to Rs. 5 lakh will be provided to NGO / Trust / Cooperative Societies and another agencies for administering road safety programme. Three awards of Rs. 5 lakhs, Rs. 2 lakh and Rs. 1 lakh will be given in each State / UT to the individuals of agencies engaged in road safety advocacy and allied activities.
Union Minister for Petroleum, Natural Gas, Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Shri Dharmendra Pradhan praised the initiatives taken in the road safety sector. He said, drivers’training can save upto ten thousand crore rupees every year. Shri Pradhan suggested amalgamation of all services from petroleum and road sectors on the toll plazas at the national highways. He said, one hundred such model points can be opened within a year.
