Guwahati Declaration for reducing road fatalities

Group of Transport Ministers Meet

Staff Reporter

Guwahati, April 19: At the first meeting of the Group of Transport Ministers of States under the chairmanship of Rajasthan Minister of Transport and PWD Yoonus Khan held in the city on Thursday, several major decisions were taken, especially to bring down road fatalities and strengthen the process of issuing driving licences.

It was brought to light that the country has set up a target to reduce road fatalities by 50 per cent by 2020, with the group noting that for the first time in a decade, accidents across the country came down by 4.6 per cent last year.

Among the other decisions taken were harmonization of taxes and permit rates across the country, amendment to the Road Safety Act of 1983, waiver of taxes and e-buses, rationalization of tax, streamlining of vehicle fitness certification etc.

Addressing a press conferences at the end of the two-day meet, Yoonus Khan said, “This was the sixth meet of this GoM and has been most successful one so far. We had detailed discussions on all issues and a nine-point Guwahati Declaration has been adopted.”

He said a major decision taken is the recommendation for a “one nation, one tax” for the diverse road tax structures, which would ease travel as well.

The Group noted that the axle load of goods vehicles was fixed in 1983, and so it recommended that the carrying capacity of goods vehicles should be increased by at least 20 per cent.

Significantly, the Group decided that one quality driving training school would be set up in every district within a year. It also said the transport departments will run enforcement drives to check motorists and two-wheelers for helmet use, halt to mobile usage while driving, seat belt, wrong-side driving etc.