Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari said on Friday, 14 January, that the government would make it mandatory for carmakers to provide at least six airbags for motor vehicles that can carry eight passengers for increased safety of occupants.
Gadkari took to Twitter to inform that the ministry has approved the draft General Statutory Rules (GSR) to mandate the implementation of the safety feature.
"In order to enhance the safety of the occupants in motor vehicles carrying upto 8 passengers, I have now approved a Draft GSR Notification to make a minimum of 6 Airbags compulsory."Nitin Gadkari, Road Transport and Highways Minister
Gadkari said that the mandate to provide driver airbags had come in effect from 1 July 2019, while rules to implement front co-passenger airbags were in effect from 1 January 2022.
In a series of tweets, Gadkari stated that the carmakers are mandated to provide four additional airbags in the M1 vehicle category to minimise the impact of frontal and lateral collisions on all occupants.
....i.e two side/side torso airbags and two side curtain/tube airbags covering all outboard passengers. This is a crucial step to make motor vehicles in India safer than ever.Nitin Gadkari, Road Transport and Highways Minister
He added that the mandate will ensure the “safety of passengers across all segments, irrespective of the cost/variant of the vehicle.”
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