Team News Riveting
New Delhi, September 6
Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari on Tuesday said tightening the seat belt would be compulsory for all the occupants in the vehicle.
The announcement came in the backdrop of tragic road mishap that killed former Tata group Chairman Cyrus Mistry near Palghar in Maharashtra on Sunday. The 54-year-old business tycoon was seated on the back seat and was not wearing the seat belt when the mishap took place.
“The notification for the rear seat belt mandate will be issued in the coming two-three days,” Gadkari said while speaking at the ‘India@75 – Past, Present and Future’ conclave organised by Business Standard in New Delhi. Gadkari did not specify the quantum of fine on defaulters and said the penalty slab had already been decided for defaulters under the motor vehicle act, regardless of whether they are in the front or the rear seat.
“Road safety is the only field where I tried my best but cannot succeed,” he said. The problem remains in the mindset of people and lack of will to adhere to motor vehicle rules, he said.
India ranks the highest in the world in terms of road accidents. In 2021, around 500,000 road accidents happened in the country, killing 150,000 people.
