Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, chairs Annual Meeting of Transport Ministers from all States and Union Territories

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari highlights regular consultations are essential to ensure policy alignment, strengthen cooperative federalism, and deliver efficient, safe, and citizen-centric transport solutions nationwide.

Event Overview
- Date & Venue: 7–8 January 2026, Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi.
- Chair: Union Minister for Road Transport & Highways, Shri Nitin Gadkari.
- Participants: Transport Ministers and Secretaries from all States and Union Territories.
- Focus: Strengthening cooperative federalism, policy alignment, and delivering safe, efficient, citizen-centric transport solutions.

Key Themes & Deliberations
1. Digitization & Standardization of Transport Services
- Expansion of online services under Vahan and Sarathi.
- Standardized workflows to reduce physical visits and state-level variations.
- Improved data quality and secure sharing protocols.

2. Motor Vehicle Reforms & Legislative Amendments
- Proposed amendments to the Motor Vehicles Act (Jan Vishwas 2.0).
- Points-based system for traffic violations.
- Digital issuance of permits for goods vehicles.

3. Road Safety & Post-Crash Care
- Adoption of e-DAR as a single accident reporting system.
- Launch readiness of cashless treatment scheme for accident victims.
- Strengthened coordination among police, hospitals, and emergency services.

4. Vehicular Safety & Engineering Standards
- Enhanced norms for buses, sleeper coaches, and passenger vehicles.
- Phased introduction of ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems).
- Bus body codes and BNCAP ratings.

5. District-Level Initiatives
- Zero Fatality Districts program.
- Strengthening District Road Safety Committees and Funds.

6. Sustainable Transport & Vehicle Scrapping
- Expansion of Automated Testing Stations (ATS) and Registered Vehicle Scrapping Facilities (RVSFs).
- Incentives for fleet modernization.

7. Emissions & PUCC 2.0 Norms
- Nationwide adoption of upgraded emission testing standards.
- Stronger compliance and audit mechanisms.

8. Intelligent Transport Systems & e-Enforcement
- Strengthening e-challan systems, VLTD deployment, and command centers.
- Focus on women’s safety and real-time monitoring.

9. Driver Training & Capacity Building
- Expansion of Driver Training Institutes (DTIs) and regional centers.
- Improved driver skills for road safety.

10. Sadak Suraksha Mitra Program
- Youth volunteers trained in road safety, accident hotspot identification, and post-crash assistance.
- Collaboration with Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports.

Outcomes & Takeaways
- Standardization of 100+ online transport services across states.
- Centralized digital data-sharing framework for vehicle and license records.
- Cashless treatment scheme to be rolled out nationwide.
- HSRP affixation enforcement for vehicles registered before April 2019.
- Stronger regulatory oversight of scrapping/testing facilities.
- 26,000+ jobs expected from expanded training and enforcement initiatives.

This meeting sets the stage for a transformative roadmap in India’s road transport sector, combining digitization, safety, sustainability, and cooperative governance.