Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs Issues Guidelines for Sustainable Urban Transport and Traffic Management

Urban planning is a State Subject. As such, planning management, execution & development of urban transport systems including traffic management for critical services are done by respective State Governments/ Urban Local Bodies (ULBs)/ Urban Development Authorities. Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs has issued various guiding documents viz. National Urban Transport Policy, 2006, Metro Policy 2017 and Transit Oriented Development Policy to adopt sustainable measures to deal with various transport related issues, including traffic management and congestion.

The Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, Central Motor Vehicles Rules (CMVR), 1989 and Motor Vehicles (Driving) Regulations, 2017 stipulate provisions regarding traffic management and decongestion for easy accessibility of emergency response/ critical services vehicles.

1. Section 194E of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 states that whoever while driving a motor vehicle fails to draw to the side of the road, on the approach of a fire service vehicle or of an ambulance or other emergency vehicle as may be specified by the State Government, shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to six months, or with a fine of ten thousand rupees or with both.
2. Rule 108 (1) (iv) of CMVR, 1989 permits the use of blinker type of red light with purple glass fitted to an ambulance van used for carrying patients or the warning lamps fitted on Road Ambulance.
3. Rule 108 (4) of CMVR, 1989 permits the use of multi–coloured red, blue and white light only on vehicles specifically designated for such emergency and disaster management duties as may be specified by the Central Government.
4. Rule 119(3) of CMVR, 1989 permits the use on vehicles used as ambulance or for firefighting or salvage purposes or on vehicles used by police officers or operators of construction equipment vehicles or officers of the Motor Vehicles Department in the course of their duties or on construction equipment vehicles of such sound signals as may be approved by the registering authority in whose jurisdiction such vehicles are kept.
5. As per sub-regulation (2) of Regulation 27 of the Motor Vehicles (Driving) Regulations, 2017, an emergency vehicle, while its multi-toned horn and the flasher is on, shall have the right of way over all the other vehicles.