The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) is one of the most crucial ministries of the Government of India, responsible for the development and regulation of roads, highways, and transport services across the country. The ministry’s primary mandate is to formulate policies and frameworks that enable the smooth operation and expansion of road infrastructure, while also ensuring road safety and improving vehicle regulations.
Mandate and Objectives
The Ministry of Road Transport & Highways aims to develop a robust, efficient, and well-connected road network that can enhance India’s infrastructure and facilitate the smooth movement of goods and passengers. Its mission is deeply tied to the growth and modernization of road transport and highway infrastructure, a critical component of India’s overall economic development.
Some of its core objectives include:
- National Highway Development: Enhancing connectivity by upgrading existing roads, constructing new highways, and improving transportation efficiency between cities, towns, and rural areas.
- Road Safety: Implementing measures to ensure that the Indian road system is as safe as possible, reducing the number of road accidents and fatalities.
- Regulation of Road Transport: Creating and enforcing regulations on motor vehicle operations, emissions, driver licensing, and road use.
- Environmental Sustainability: Encouraging the use of green and eco-friendly transportation systems, particularly electric vehicles (EVs) and reducing carbon footprints in the transportation sector.
- Implementation of Central and State Policies: Coordinating with state governments to ensure that road infrastructure policies are implemented at regional and local levels.
Major Functions
1. National Highway Development and Maintenance
The National Highways form the backbone of India’s road network. The ministry is responsible for planning, developing, and maintaining national highways, which extend across more than 140,000 kilometers. These highways are essential to the nation’s economic vitality as they connect ports, major cities, state capitals, and important industrial hubs.
Through various schemes such as Bharatmala Pariyojana, the ministry has taken on an ambitious project to build and upgrade highways in order to improve road connectivity to remote and border areas, enhance trade routes, and stimulate economic activities. The project involves the construction of expressways, bypasses, and elevated roads, among other things, with a goal of decongesting major urban roads and improving road safety.
2. Road Transport Policies
MoRTH is also responsible for formulating and enforcing policies that govern road transport in India. These policies cover several aspects, including vehicle registration, driver licensing, emission standards, and road safety protocols. The Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 is the principal legislation that governs road transport in India, and it has been amended periodically to address the growing needs of the sector.
The Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act, 2019, which is among the most recent updates to this law, introduced several important reforms. These include stricter penalties for traffic violations, improved road safety measures, and increased accountability for road transport authorities. Key provisions include stricter fines for drunk driving, speeding, and driving without a license, and more comprehensive rules regarding third-party insurance and compensation for accident victims.
3. Road Safety Initiatives
India has one of the highest rates of road accidents globally, making road safety a priority for the ministry. MoRTH has rolled out several initiatives to improve road safety across the country, such as:
- Public Awareness Campaigns: Educating the public about traffic rules, the dangers of speeding, driving under the influence, and the importance of wearing seat belts and helmets.
- Improvements in Road Design: Implementing better signage, speed breakers, and other traffic-calming measures to reduce accidents in high-risk areas.
- Black Spot Identification: Identifying accident-prone stretches on highways and taking corrective measures to redesign these areas.
- Collaborations with NGOs and International Organizations: Partnering with external agencies to promote best practices in road safety.
4. Sustainability and Environmental Initiatives
With growing concerns over climate change and environmental sustainability, the ministry has been actively promoting eco-friendly transportation solutions. The National Electric Mobility Mission Plan (NEMMP) was launched to accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) across the country. Additionally, MoRTH is focused on introducing stringent emission norms for motor vehicles, as seen with the rollout of the Bharat Stage VI (BS-VI) emission standards, which are aimed at reducing vehicular pollution.
5. Infrastructure Projects
MoRTH oversees a wide range of infrastructure projects aimed at improving connectivity and fostering development. Some of the key initiatives include:
- Bharatmala Pariyojana: This flagship highway development project was launched to improve the efficiency of freight and passenger movement. The program focuses on constructing and upgrading about 83,677 kilometers of roads, including economic corridors, border and coastal roads, expressways, and feeder routes. The goal is to improve India’s logistics efficiency and reduce travel time between key industrial and commercial centers.
- Setu Bharatam Project: This project was initiated to ensure the construction of bridges on national highways to eliminate railway level crossings. It aims to enhance road safety by reducing the likelihood of accidents caused by level crossings.
6. Coordination with Other Government Bodies
MoRTH works closely with various other government agencies, such as the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and the Indian Roads Congress (IRC). The NHAI is primarily responsible for the development, maintenance, and management of national highways. The IRC, on the other hand, plays a key role in setting technical standards and guidelines for road construction and maintenance.
Leadership
The Ministry is headed by the Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways. Nitin Gadkari has been the Union Minister of MoRTH since 2014, and under his leadership, the ministry has undertaken several ambitious projects, particularly in the realm of highway development and road safety.
Road Ahead
The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways is central to India’s infrastructure ambitions. With a growing economy and the increasing demand for better logistics, transportation, and mobility solutions, MoRTH continues to play a pivotal role in India’s development. With projects such as Bharatmala and a renewed focus on road safety, sustainable transportation, and the adoption of new technologies, the ministry’s efforts are poised to bring about significant improvements in India’s road infrastructure.
In conclusion, MoRTH’s comprehensive approach to road transport and highway development is contributing significantly to India’s economic growth, while simultaneously focusing on sustainability, safety, and efficiency in transportation.
