New Delhi, 18 March (H.S.): Congress leader and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, and party General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra met Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari on Wednesday at his office in the Parliament House complex, along with representatives of small truck and bus‑body manufacturers from Rajasthan.

The discussion focused on the impact of the Centre’s new safety standards and associated fees on small‑scale producers.

The delegation, drawn from the Rajasthan Bus and Truck Body Builders’ Association, voiced concerns that the government’s revised norms and higher charges have pushed many small manufacturers to the edge of shutting down, potentially affecting the livelihoods of lakhs of dependent families. The representatives argued that the cost and compliance burden could wipe out marginal workshops that form the backbone of the local metal‑fabrication ecosystem.

In the meeting, Gadkari reiterated that the new standards stem from repeated fire‑related accidents in sleeper buses, which have led to significant loss of life. He pointed out that many small body‑builders had ignored mandatory safety codes, producing bus cabins with restricted exits and non‑compliant materials that could trap passengers in case of fire. The Centre has now made it compulsory for such bodies to be built only by automobile manufacturers or accredited facilities, with strict adherence to AIS‑052 design and fire‑safety norms.

At the same time, Gadkari assured Rahul Gandhi and the delegation that the government would take the anxieties of smaller units into account and work towards a balanced framework that preserves passenger safety without forcing a large‑scale closure of artisanal and small‑scale workshops. The minister indicated that the administration would explore ways to ease the transition while maintaining the core safety requirements.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar