Speaking at the 65th SIAM Annual Convention 2025 Union Minister
Nitin Gadkari has once again drawn attention to India’s pressing mobility challenges, including air pollution, road safety and a severe shortage of trained drivers, while underlining the government’s ongoing efforts to tackle them.
Speaking at the event, Gadkari said the transport sector alone accounts for nearly 40 percent of the country’s air pollution. The Minister pointed to India’s massive fossil fuel import bill of Rs 22 lakh crore, warning that this dependence will only worsen emissions if not addressed. He stressed the need to adopt alternatives such as flex fuels and ethanol blends under the E20 programme. “Concerns raised around E20 were part of a paid campaign against ethanol and me personally,” he said, adding that both ARAI and the Supreme Court had already cleared its safety.
Rising demand for maize, now priced at Rs 2,800 per quintal, was also cited as a positive outcome for farmers. On emissions control, Gadkari reaffirmed India’s commitment to leapfrogging to BS VII norms in line with European standards. At the same time, he said efforts are being made to set up an international standard vehicle testing centre in Pune at a cost of Rs 1,500 crore, which will also evaluate e-rickshaws.
Road safety, however, remains a dark spot. India records around 5 lakh accidents and 1.8 lakh deaths every year. Gadkari noted that while engineering faults in roads are being fixed, most accidents continue to stem from human behaviour. “Every year, nearly 30,000 people die just because they don’t wear helmets,” he said, pointing to stricter laws mandating two helmets with every new two wheeler sale.
A new Rahveer initiative will reward citizens with Rs 25,000 for helping accident victims, while treatment costs of up to Rs 1.5 lakh for seven days will be covered by the government. “If accident victims get timely medical help, nearly 50,000 lives could be saved every year,” Gadkari added.
Another area of focus is the scrappage policy. In August 2025 alone, 3 lakh vehicles were scrapped, including 1.41 lakh government owned ones. But with nearly 97.4 lakh vehicles still due for retirement, the Minister said the scheme’s full potential remains untapped. Proper implementation, he added, could save emissions equal to 26 crore trees, generate Rs 40,000 crore in GST revenue, create 70 lakh new jobs and reduce dependence on imported steel.
Looking ahead, Gadkari also highlighted investments in urban mobility such as metro projects, public transport tenders and new age flash charging buses to ease pressure on cities. He urged greater adoption of mass transport solutions in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities as well.
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