Satish attends National Transport Ministers’ meeting, meets Nitin Gadkari
STATE TIMES NEWS
NEW DELHI: Minister for Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs, Satish Sharma on Thursday participated in the Meeting of Transport Ministers of all States and Union Territories and the 43rd Meeting of the Transport Development Council (TDC) held at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi.
The high-level meeting was chaired by Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari. The national-level deliberations focused on a wide range of critical issues concerning road safety, vehicular standards, accident response systems and comprehensive transport reforms. Key topics discussed included cashless treatment for road accident victims, enhanced compensation for hit-and-run cases, implementation of e-DAR, Zero Fatality Districts, Sadak Suraksha Mission, BN-CAP 2.0, bus body codes, accessibility for Divyangjan, and the introduction of advanced safety technologies in buses and trucks. Earlier, Satish Sharma held a detailed interaction with Nitin Gadkari, during which he highlighted the pressing challenges faced by residents of border and far-flung areas of J&K, particularly regarding emergency medical services and public transport connectivity. He urged the Union Minister to provide ambulances and Border Passenger buses for border belts to ensure timely medical assistance and reliable transport facilities for the local population. The Minister also sought Central Govt funding for the establishment of Automated Testing Stations in Srinagar and Jammu, emphasizing their importance for scientific vehicle fitness testing, pollution control and improved road safety. Union Minister Nitin Gadkari agreed to the proposal on the spot, assuring full support for setting up the ATS infrastructure in the Union Territory. The meeting further discussed safety standards, programme schedules and proposed amendments to the Motor Vehicles Act, stressing strict compliance, time-bound implementation and quality execution of transport and highway projects. Later, Satish Sharma interacted with representatives of major travel and transport unions from across the country. He invited them to partner in the tourism and trade development of Jammu and Kashmir, highlighting its vast potential in pilgrimage, leisure, adventure tourism, logistics and commercial transport, while assuring a secure and business-friendly environment.
