Vijay Chhibber

Secretary, Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, Government of India

Constraints of public funding had in recent times prompted the Government of India to give private parties a better role in the development of the country’s major roads—after amending two decades ago the National Highways Act, 1956.

Raghav Chandra

Chairman, National Highway Authority of India

Having recently taken charge as the Chairman of the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI), Raghav Chandra notes that the autonomous body has a mix of pluses and minuses before it today when it comes to carrying out its responsibility of development, maintenance and management of NHs entrusted to it.

Sanjay Bandopadhyaya

CEO, NAT RIP & Former Joint Secretary, MoRTH

There is a definite reason behind our increased stress on road safety now. Till 2011, just before the United Nations declared this decade as one of Action for Road Safety globally, we in India sensed an increase in the trend of deaths on the country’s roads.

Karla Gonzalez

Practice Manager, World Bank, Washington

It is clear that the new proposed Road Transport and Safety Bill from the government of India will take the country on a new path of greater road safety for the benefit of all. The draft of the Bill is a big step forward; it merits strong support from the media, private sector, and public at large. But little change will come through laws if the enforcement is not there.

K.K. Kapila

Chairman, International Road Federation
Co-Chairman, FICCI National Committee on Infrastructure

The recent 9th IRF conclave recommends the creation of a Road Safety Fund at the central and state level. How tough is this going to be? It won’t be tough at all. We need to utilize a portion of toll and a part of cess levy on petrol and diesel—as a separate tax for Road Safety Fund.

Arnab Bandyopadhyay

The World Bank, New Delhi