India to deploy smart cards for driving licences by next March

Creation date: 09 October 2007

The India Union Minister of Shipping, Road Transport and Highways, Thiru T.R. Baalu has said that the issue of smart cards for driving licences and registration certificates for vehicles and electronically linking Regional Transport Offices of the States have been targeted to be completed by March, 2008. Thiru Baalu was addressing the 2nd International Road Federation (IRF) Regional Conference on Road Safety - Design, Construction and Operations of Roads.

 
The Minister also announced that a committee constituted to formulate a National Road Transport Policy for India has recently submitted its report for giving direction for improvement of road transport as well as the road sector, and this report is under consideration of the Union Government.

Expressing serious concern over the rising number of road accidents in the country, he said that the Government had set up a committee on road safety issues which has recommended the creation of a dedicated body on Road Safety and Traffic Management. The Committee's report is presently under consideration of the Government, Thiru Baalu said.

Thiru Baalu asked participants to dwell upon issues, such as development of an efficient system of traffic management involving coordination between multiple agencies and defining their roles; scientific investigation of fatal accidents to find out their real cause for taking corrective measures to arrest recurrences of such incidents; and involvement and participation of public in enhancement of road safety, besides generating awareness.

Source: ITS International