Trucks will soon have mandatory AC cabins: Nitin Gadkari

Commercial vehicles like trucks are soon going to be get air-conditioning as a mandatory feature. Union Minister Nitin Gadkari made this announcement on Monday, emphasising the need to take care of commercial vehicle drivers in India who travel long and far delivering essential commodities to different parts of the country. The move will help truck drivers who are often forced to work under extreme heat conditions without AC, a basic feature in any vehicle in Indian climatic conditions.

Truck drivers form the backbone of India's transport sector, one of the key areas in the country as the fastest growing large economy in the world. The working condition of the drivers in commercial sector has long been neglected with no proper safety or comfort features available in most of the vehicles. To offer the drivers some respite, the move is expected to help them during the harsh summer days.

Speaking at an event on Monday where he unveiled a book honouring Indian drivers, Gadkari said said truck drivers in the country have been forced to work in extreme heat. He said that he has been pushing for air-conditioned cabins for truck drivers for a long time. "Some people objected to it saying it will increase costs...but before coming here I have signed on the file that henceforth, driver cabins in trucks will be air-conditioned," Gadkari said.

Gadkari also stressed on the need to have a more favourable working condition for the Indian truck drivers. He emphasised the shortage of drivers need to be overcome in order to make the transport sector more active. The Union Minister said there is need to set up more driving schools around the country to train more skilled workforce in the transport sector. At present, a truck driver usually drives around 15 hours at a stretch every day, impacting his physical as well as mental health. The minister wants the working hours for drivers to be fixed soon, like it is in other countries.

Gadkari also emphasised the need to reduce cost of logistics to increase India's exports. "Our logistics cost, as compared to the rest of the world, is 14-16 per cent. In China, it is 8-10 per cent, in European countries and the US it is 12 per cent. If we have to increase exports, we have to cut logistics costs," Gadkari said.

The recent announcement to add AC in cabin of trucks is expected to be one of the first in several others to come in near future. The minister assured steps to make lives of commercial vehicle drivers a lot easier soon.