Govt introduces new tracking system for hazardous vehicles

To guarantee safety, the government plans to make it compulsory for all vehicles carrying hazardous goods to set up approved vehicle system devices. The Ministry of Road Transport and Highway (MoRTH) has released a draft notification, which says that vehicles carrying various gases, viz Argon, Nitrogen, Oxygen and goods of dangerous nature will have to be equipped with vehicle tracking system devices. Comments have been requested by the ministry from stakeholders within thirty days after which a formal notification bringing about the modifications may be released. Presently, vehicles, which are not under the ambit of a national permit, and carry hazardous goods, are not equipped with vehicle tracking system devices as they are not instructed to do so, unlike vehicles with a national permit. Various recommendations were made that carrying such hazardous goods within the city limits poses risk, and there was a requirement for monitoring the movement of such vehicles. Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, vide draft notification dated 15th February 2022, has planned that every goods carriage vehicle, carrying any dangerous or hazardous goods, shall be fitted with, or equipped with a vehicle tracking system device according to Automotive Industry Standard (AIS) 140, a ministry statement indicating the draft notification said. Continuing efforts to make Indian roads safer, the ministry has additionally notified prescribed standards related to safety measures for children below four years of age, riding or being carried on a motorcycle. The notification has further defined the use of a safety harness and crash helmet for small children and restricted the speed of motorcycles carrying children to 40 kmph. A ministry statement said that the new rules about the safety of children would come into force after one year from the date of publication of the Central Motor Vehicles (Second Amendment) Rules, 2022. Image Source Also read: JICA, MoRTH holds meeting on Highways’ capacity development project