Gadkari wants road project insurance

To maintain the massive road network of India in efficient, environment friendly and safe manner at economical costs, there is a strong need for enhancement of knowledge, skill and expertise of the engineers, said Road Transport and Highway Minister Nitin Gadkari.

He has called for mid-career training should be mandatory for promotion to next higher levels and has stressed upon the need for exclusive training programme for engineers working with contractors and consultants in Highways sector.

He was speaking at the release of a report of a committee constituted to give recommendations to transform the Indian Academy of Highway Engineers (IAHE) into a world class premier institute on highway sector.

The report was submitted to the Minister in New Delhi 28 Jan 2020.

IAHE is the premier institute for pooling of experience and sharing of knowledge on entire range of subjects involving management of highways.
It was created by Ministry in the eighties for training of highway engineers from Central Government, State Government, Local Bodies.

Scope of IAHE is being expanded to include three distinct functions – Training, Applied Research and Development in the Highways and Public Transport Sector, and Road Safety and Regulation.

Also, Gadkari has called for insurance for road projects, citing examples of insurance infrastructure projects in several countries such as Canada, Australia, USA, South Africa and UK.

Addressing a Workshop on Motor Vehicle Insurance and Road Safety in New Delhi on 28 Jan 2020, the Minister informed that the Supreme Court has made it mandatory for all new two wheelers to have a five-year third-party insurance.

Similarly, for cars and commercial vehicles, it is mandatory to have a three-year third-party insurance.

In case of default, there is a provision of fine up to Rp.2,000. Under the third-party insurance, the responsibility of compensating an accident victim shifts from the vehicle owner to insurance company.

Underlining the importance of insurance, Gadkari informed that his Ministry is considering forming a Motor Vehicle Accident Fund, which will fund the amount for compensation for hit and run cases.

The Fund will also be used for medical treatment of accident victims.

Provision has been made in the Motor Vehicles Act to protect those helping the accident victims.

The government is also contemplating making provision for protection of doctors, nurses and other medical staff from hassles in such cases, he said. fiinews.com