22 July 2026

Establishment and statutory powers of the National Road Safety Board

The topic directly examines a newly operationalized statutory body (National Road Safety Board), its advisory limitations, judicial enforcement, and federal implications under GS2.

• India recorded a peak of 1,77,175 road fatalities in 2024 according to the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways' 'Road Accidents in India' report.
• The Central Government constituted the National Road Safety Board on June 29 under Section 215B of the Motor Vehicles Act as a statutory advisory body to advise Union and State governments on road safety.
• The 2007 Sundar Committee report first proposed a dedicated national road safety regulator empowered to set standards, monitor compliance, conduct safety audits, and coordinate across agencies.
• The National Road Safety and Traffic Management Board Bill, 2010 was criticized by the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Transport in July 2010 for duplicating existing institutional functions without providing sufficient powers or coordination mechanisms.
• Judicial intervention in S. Rajaseekaran v. Union of India (PIL active since 2012) pushed the Central government in May 2026 to operationalise the Board, whose rules were notified in September 2021.
• Concerns exist regarding the advisory structure: while the Board has a mandatory duty to advise, recipient authorities have no statutory obligation to act upon or respond to its advice.
• Constitutional context: Shared legislative competence over road safety between Union and State governments supports an advisory model to avoid federal friction and jurisdictional disputes.

1. Examine the institutional and statutory framework governing road safety in India. In light of the constitutional division of powers between the Union and the States, evaluate whether an advisory body like the National Road Safety Board can effectively address the rising toll of road fatalities. 250 words

1. Under which section of the Motor Vehicles Act has the National Road Safety Board been constituted as a statutory advisory body?
   1. Section 215B
   2. Section 140A
   3. Section 198B
   4. Section 304A
   Answer A
2. Which committee recommended the creation of a national road safety body empowered to set standards, conduct safety audits, and coordinate inter-agency action in 2007?
   1. TSR Subramanian Committee
   2. Sundar Committee
   3. Kasturirangan Committee
   4. Bibek Debroy Committee
   Answer B

• Statutory, regulatory and various quasi-judicial bodies GS2
• Union and States GS2

• Industry & Infrastructure
• Public Policy

• Road safety board set up, but debate over powers persists