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Union Minister for Road, Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari will launch the Bharat New Car Assessment Programme (Bharat NCAP) on August 22, the government announced on Sunday. The Bharat NCAP comes as a major step in making cars safer in India. The passenger vehicles being manufactured and sold in the country will have to comply with this new safety regulation. The new safety regulation will be enforced across the country from October 1. Several auto manufacturers in India have already welcomed this move.
The Ministry of Road Transport & Highways (MoRTH) in an announcement on Sunday has said that the Bharat NCAP will be a significant step towards improving road safety in India by raising the safety standards of motor vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes. The programme aims to provide a tool to car buyers to make a comparative assessment of crash safety of motor vehicles available in the country's vehicle market, stated the announcement.
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Under the Bharat NCAP, car manufacturers can voluntarily offer their cars tested as per Automotive Industry Standard (AIS) 197, stated the announcement. Based on the performance of the car in the crash tests, the model will be awarded star ratings for adult occupants and child occupants, just like the cars are tested and given star ratings by the Global NCAP. While purchasing the vehicles, the consumers can refer to these star ratings to compare the safety standards of different vehicles and accordingly make their purchase decision.
The ministry in its announcement also said that the new safety regulation is expected to increase the demand for safer cars and will also encourage the car manufacturers in the country to comply with the Bharat NCAP to make safer cars. The ministry also hopes that with higher safety standards, Indian cars would be able to compete better in the global market, increasing the export potential of car manufacturers in the country. It further stated that the upcoming Bharat NCAP norms would develop a safety-sensitive car market in India.