As the first session of the 18th Lok Sabha commenced on Monday, various prominent leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, took oaths as Members of Parliament. Watch.
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Mumbai: Six MPs from Maharashtra have joined the Modi 3.0 coalition government, with the BJP securing four positions and allies Shiv Sena and RPI (A) receiving one each. Notably, the NCP led by Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar declined the BJP’s offer of Minister of State (MoS) with independent charge, insisting on a cabinet berth for Praful Patel.During the second term of the Modi government from 2019-24, there were eight ministers from Maharashtra representing the BJP and its allies. This number has decreased to six as of Sunday.In the new government, BJP MPs Nitin Gadkari and Piyush Goyal retained their positions as cabinet ministers.Raksha Khadse, the sole woman MP from Maharashtra representing the BJP, along with first-time MP Murlidhar Mohol, were sworn in as Ministers of State.AllUttar PradeshMaharashtraTamil NaduWest BengalBiharKarnatakaAndhra PradeshTelanganaKeralaMadhya PradeshRajasthanDelhiOther StatesAmong the BJP’s allies, RPI (A) chief Ramdas Athawale retained his position as Minister of State with independent charge, while Prataprao Jadhav from the Shiv Sena, under the leadership of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, also took oath as Minister of State with independent charge.The NCP, led by Ajit Pawar, declined the offer of Minister of State, insisting on a cabinet berth for Rajya Sabha member Praful Patel due to his extensive experience.Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday said coalition formulas must be respected, assuring the NCP would be considered in future cabinet expansions. “We had offered one berth of minister with independent charge to the NCP but they wanted Praful Patel’s name to be finalised. Due to his experience, the NCP believed he could not be made MoS with independent charge,” Fadnavis said.
In a coalition government, a formula has to be drawn, which cannot be broken for one party, he said.
“I can confidently say whenever cabinet expansion takes place, the government will consider the NCP. We did try to include NCP right now, but they insisted on cabinet portfolio,” the senior BJP leader said.
Speaking to reporters in Delhi, Ajit Pawar asserted the NCP “was ready to wait” but wanted a cabinet berth.
The eight ministers from Maharashtra who were part of the Modi-led government from 2019-24 included Nitin Gadkari, Piyush Goyal, Narayan Rane, Bhagwat Karad, Raosaheb Danve, Bharti Pawar and Kapil Patil- all from BJP, and Ramdas Athawale of the RPI (A).
In the recently held Lok Sabha elections, the BJP fared poorly in Maharashtra as it could win only nine seats, compared to the 2019 tally of 23 out of the total 48 constituencies in the state. The Shiv Sena led by Shinde bagged seven seats and Ajit Pawar-led NCP just one.
Gadkari, Goyal, Khadse and Mohol won from Nagpur, Mumbai North, Raver and Pune Lok Sabha constituencies, respectively, in the recent elections.
Notably, the BJP did not re-induct Narayan Rane in the Union cabinet though he won from Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg Lok Sabha seat.
Three other BJP ministers – Raosaheb Danve, Bharati Pawar, and Kapil Patil- in the previous government lost the elections this time.
Inputs from PTI
Praising Union Interim Budget 2024, Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari on February 01 said that this budget aimed to strengthen India’s economic sector and to speed up the country’s development and increase employment. “Finance Minister’s Budget is aimed to strengthen India’s economic sector, in line with PM Modi’s resolve to make India the third largest economy of the world…This is a budget to speed up country’s development and increase employment…,” said Nitin Gadkari.
Express News Service
Tension WithinPMO denies extension to Gadkari’s key men in NHAI
Prime Minister Narendra Modi-headed Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has rejected a proposal sent by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) for extending the tenure of its two top officials – Member (Technical) Mahabir Singh and Member (Projects) Manoj Kumar. They look after the critical aspects of the NHAI, India’s largest road and bridge builder. Sources said Singh and Kumar are considered close to Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari. The NHAI, which functions under Gadkari’s ministry, had sought a two-year extension for these officers. Mahabir Singh was appointed NHAI’s Member (Technical) in July 2020 for three years. His term expires this month-end. Manoj Kumar’s term has also come to an end. According to sources, the Prime Minister’s Office was not happy with the performance of the two officers.
Pulling Apart BJP’s RS pick brings focus on division of Bengal
The BJP leadership’s choice of Ananta Rai Maharaj as its candidate to represent West Bengal in the Rajya Sabha has reignited the debate on the division of West Bengal and the formation of a separate state comprising some districts of north Bengal and Assam. Ananta Rai is a leader of Koch-Rajbanshis and has been a votary of a separate state of ‘Greater Cooch Behar”. Rai heads the Greater Cooch Behar People’s Association, working to carve out a separate state from Bengal.
The BJP-led Union government is also in talks with Jibon Singha, chief of the Kamtapur Liberation Organisation (KLO). KLO has been engaged in an armed struggle to create a separate state comprising north Bengal districts. Several BJP legislators from north Bengal have openly backed the demand for the division of Bengal. Union Minister of State for home affairs Nisith Pramanik, an MP from north Bengal, had earlier responded to a question about his government’s plan to divide Bengal by saying, “decision will be taken keeping in mind the people’s sentiments”. Pramanik accompanied Rai when the latter filed his nomination in the West Bengal assembly. The chatter for a new state is getting louder.
Legislating for Lawmakers Cong may change stand on instant disqualification
Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud’s comments last week that the courts cannot put a life ban on politicians who have been convicted and barred from contesting election has triggered discussion in the Congress on the disqualification issue. The CJI made the comment while hearing a petition on the period of disqualification filed in 2016. It was the Supreme Court’s decision in the Lily Thomas Vs Union of India case in 2013 that resulted in the instant disqualification of MPs, MLAs and MLCs, who are convicted in a criminal case for two years or more. The then Congress-led government had moved swiftly to overturn the Supreme Court’s decision by bringing in an ordinance. But it was thwarted by Rahul Gandhi who tore the ordinance in a press conference calling it “complete nonsense”. This forced the government not to pass a bill to turn the ordinance into law. The party’s opinion on the issue has, however, changed over time, primarily as it feels that “the ruling BJP was using flimsy grounds to get lawmakers disqualified”. Sources said Congress is now in sync with other opposition parties who plan to bring in laws to protect lawmakers from being targeted by the central government.
Tension Within
PMO denies extension to Gadkari’s key men in NHAI
Prime Minister Narendra Modi-headed Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has rejected a proposal sent by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) for extending the tenure of its two top officials – Member (Technical) Mahabir Singh and Member (Projects) Manoj Kumar. They look after the critical aspects of the NHAI, India’s largest road and bridge builder. Sources said Singh and Kumar are considered close to Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari. The NHAI, which functions under Gadkari’s ministry, had sought a two-year extension for these officers. Mahabir Singh was appointed NHAI’s Member (Technical) in July 2020 for three years. His term expires this month-end. Manoj Kumar’s term has also come to an end. According to sources, the Prime Minister’s Office was not happy with the performance of the two officers.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });
Pulling Apart
BJP’s RS pick brings focus on division of Bengal
The BJP leadership’s choice of Ananta Rai Maharaj as its candidate to represent West Bengal in the Rajya Sabha has reignited the debate on the division of West Bengal and the formation of a separate state comprising some districts of north Bengal and Assam. Ananta Rai is a leader of Koch-Rajbanshis and has been a votary of a separate state of ‘Greater Cooch Behar”. Rai heads the Greater Cooch Behar People’s Association, working to carve out a separate state from Bengal.
The BJP-led Union government is also in talks with Jibon Singha, chief of the Kamtapur Liberation Organisation (KLO). KLO has been engaged in an armed struggle to create a separate state comprising north Bengal districts. Several BJP legislators from north Bengal have openly backed the demand for the division of Bengal. Union Minister of State for home affairs Nisith Pramanik, an MP from north Bengal, had earlier responded to a question about his government’s plan to divide Bengal by saying, “decision will be taken keeping in mind the people’s sentiments”. Pramanik accompanied Rai when the latter filed his nomination in the West Bengal assembly. The chatter for a new state is getting louder.
Legislating for Lawmakers
Cong may change stand on instant disqualification
Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud’s comments last week that the courts cannot put a life ban on politicians who have been convicted and barred from contesting election has triggered discussion in the Congress on the disqualification issue. The CJI made the comment while hearing a petition on the period of disqualification filed in 2016. It was the Supreme Court’s decision in the Lily Thomas Vs Union of India case in 2013 that resulted in the instant disqualification of MPs, MLAs and MLCs, who are convicted in a criminal case for two years or more. The then Congress-led government had moved swiftly to overturn the Supreme Court’s decision by bringing in an ordinance. But it was thwarted by Rahul Gandhi who tore the ordinance in a press conference calling it “complete nonsense”. This forced the government not to pass a bill to turn the ordinance into law. The party’s opinion on the issue has, however, changed over time, primarily as it feels that “the ruling BJP was using flimsy grounds to get lawmakers disqualified”. Sources said Congress is now in sync with other opposition parties who plan to bring in laws to protect lawmakers from being targeted by the central government.
By PTI
NEW DELHI: The government will introduce new technologies including GPS-based toll collection systems in the next 6 months to replace existing highway toll plazas in the country, Union minister Nitin Gadkari said on Friday.
The move is aimed at reducing traffic congestion and charging motorists for the exact distance travelled on the highways, Gadkari said.
Addressing an event organised by industry body CII, Gadkari further said state-owned NHAI’s toll revenue is currently Rs 40,000 crore and it is going to soar to Rs 1.40 lakh crore 2-3 years.
“The government is looking at new technologies including GPS-based toll systems to replace toll plazas in the country. We will bring new technology in six months,” he said.
The ministry of road transport and highways is conducting a pilot project of an automatic number plate recognition system (automatic number plate reader cameras) to enable automated toll collection without stopping the vehicles.
During 2018-19, the average waiting time for vehicles at toll plazas was 8 minutes.
With the introduction of FASTags during 2020-21 and 2021-22, the average waiting time of the vehicles has come down to 47 seconds.
Although there is considerable improvement in waiting time at certain locations, especially near cities, the densely populated towns there are still some delays at toll plazas during peak hours.
The road transport and highways minister emphasised the need of reducing the cost of construction without compromising the quality.
NEW DELHI: The government will introduce new technologies including GPS-based toll collection systems in the next 6 months to replace existing highway toll plazas in the country, Union minister Nitin Gadkari said on Friday.
The move is aimed at reducing traffic congestion and charging motorists for the exact distance travelled on the highways, Gadkari said.
Addressing an event organised by industry body CII, Gadkari further said state-owned NHAI’s toll revenue is currently Rs 40,000 crore and it is going to soar to Rs 1.40 lakh crore 2-3 years.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });
“The government is looking at new technologies including GPS-based toll systems to replace toll plazas in the country. We will bring new technology in six months,” he said.
The ministry of road transport and highways is conducting a pilot project of an automatic number plate recognition system (automatic number plate reader cameras) to enable automated toll collection without stopping the vehicles.
During 2018-19, the average waiting time for vehicles at toll plazas was 8 minutes.
With the introduction of FASTags during 2020-21 and 2021-22, the average waiting time of the vehicles has come down to 47 seconds.
Although there is considerable improvement in waiting time at certain locations, especially near cities, the densely populated towns there are still some delays at toll plazas during peak hours.
The road transport and highways minister emphasised the need of reducing the cost of construction without compromising the quality.
Express News Service
PATNA: Union Minister for Road, Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari on Monday assured the Centre`s all possible help to Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav in the implementation of road projects in the state.
Tejashwi who is in charge of Bihar’s road construction department heaped praise on the Union Minister by saying another name for development was Gadkari. He said Gadkari did not consider political affiliation when it came to development.
“Gadkari increased the Central Road Fund (CRF) for Bihar by Rs 200 crore. I have learnt a lot from the Union Minister as impediments coming in the construction of 53 ROBs were removed during his tenure,” he added.
Tejaswhi also requested Gadkari to extend Eastern Expressway up to Bhagalpur and also approve the elevated road project from Kachchi Dargah to AIIMS to decongest road traffic in the state capital.
Gadkari remarked while laying the foundation for a 1.5 km long two-lane elevated RCC bridge near Panduka on Son river in Rohtas district, “We keep development and politics separate while considering issues related to various projects.”
It will be built at a cost of Rs 210 crores. The minister said that with the construction of this bridge, NH-19 and NH-39 would be directly connected, reducing the distance between Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.
With the construction of the Panduka RCC bridge, one will be able to reach from Nauhatta in Rohtas district to Garhwa district in Jharkhand by covering a distance of only 2-3 km. Previously, one had to cover a distance of 150 km. Similarly, the distance between Panduka bridge and the border of Sonbhadra district in Uttar Pradesh is now only 13 km. Sonbhadra city is now only a 55 km drive from the bridge instead of 185 km.
PATNA: Union Minister for Road, Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari on Monday assured the Centre`s all possible help to Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav in the implementation of road projects in the state.
Tejashwi who is in charge of Bihar’s road construction department heaped praise on the Union Minister by saying another name for development was Gadkari. He said Gadkari did not consider political affiliation when it came to development.
“Gadkari increased the Central Road Fund (CRF) for Bihar by Rs 200 crore. I have learnt a lot from the Union Minister as impediments coming in the construction of 53 ROBs were removed during his tenure,” he added.
Tejaswhi also requested Gadkari to extend Eastern Expressway up to Bhagalpur and also approve the elevated road project from Kachchi Dargah to AIIMS to decongest road traffic in the state capital.
Gadkari remarked while laying the foundation for a 1.5 km long two-lane elevated RCC bridge near Panduka on Son river in Rohtas district, “We keep development and politics separate while considering issues related to various projects.”
It will be built at a cost of Rs 210 crores. The minister said that with the construction of this bridge, NH-19 and NH-39 would be directly connected, reducing the distance between Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.
With the construction of the Panduka RCC bridge, one will be able to reach from Nauhatta in Rohtas district to Garhwa district in Jharkhand by covering a distance of only 2-3 km. Previously, one had to cover a distance of 150 km. Similarly, the distance between Panduka bridge and the border of Sonbhadra district in Uttar Pradesh is now only 13 km. Sonbhadra city is now only a 55 km drive from the bridge instead of 185 km.
Express News Service
BHOPAL: Awful state of roads was among the key factors, which prompted people to vote out the Digvijaya Singh-led Congress government after a stint of 10 years in power in 2003. Nineteen years later, the Union Minister for Road Transport and National Highways Nitin Gadkari has apologized to the people of the BJP-ruled central Indian state for faulty construction of Rs 400 crore worth of road stretch on the highway between Jabalpur and Mandla.
“I don’t hesitate in apologizing for the quality of work on the highway connecting Jabalpur and Mandla. I regret the quality of Rs 400 crore work done on the 63 km stretch of this project, between Barela and Mandla. The local MP and union minister Faggan Singh Kulaste too has been raising this issue regularly with me and I feel sorry, pained and also unsatisfied with the quality of work done on the concerned two lane road,” Gadkari said while addressing an event marking laying of foundation of multiple road projects in Mandla district on Sunday evening.
“Before coming to this event, I’ve told the concerned officials to suspend the remaining work on the concerned road project with mutual consent, repair old work and issue fresh tenders to soon construct the road in the best possible manner,” Gadkari said.
Knowing the enormous tourist potential in the tribal dominated Mahakoshal region of MP, the union minister said, “I’ve talked to one of the NHAI members, who hails from MP only. Kanha National Park and Tiger Reserve has enormous tourist potential and needs to be connected through best roads. The Kanha National Park and districts of Balaghat, Seoni, Mandla and Jabalpur which connect with Nagpur will be included in the Gati Shakti Road Cluster project,” Gadkari maintained.
The Union Minister also announced approving 23 road overbridges (RoBs) worth over Rs 1600 crore for MP under the nationwide Setu Bharatam Project.
BHOPAL: Awful state of roads was among the key factors, which prompted people to vote out the Digvijaya Singh-led Congress government after a stint of 10 years in power in 2003. Nineteen years later, the Union Minister for Road Transport and National Highways Nitin Gadkari has apologized to the people of the BJP-ruled central Indian state for faulty construction of Rs 400 crore worth of road stretch on the highway between Jabalpur and Mandla.
“I don’t hesitate in apologizing for the quality of work on the highway connecting Jabalpur and Mandla. I regret the quality of Rs 400 crore work done on the 63 km stretch of this project, between Barela and Mandla. The local MP and union minister Faggan Singh Kulaste too has been raising this issue regularly with me and I feel sorry, pained and also unsatisfied with the quality of work done on the concerned two lane road,” Gadkari said while addressing an event marking laying of foundation of multiple road projects
in Mandla district on Sunday evening.
“Before coming to this event, I’ve told the concerned officials to suspend the remaining work on the concerned road project with mutual consent, repair old work and issue fresh tenders to soon construct the road in the best possible manner,” Gadkari said.
Knowing the enormous tourist potential in the tribal dominated Mahakoshal region of MP, the union minister said, “I’ve talked to one of the NHAI members, who hails from MP only. Kanha National Park and Tiger Reserve has enormous tourist potential and needs to be connected through best roads. The Kanha National Park and districts of Balaghat, Seoni, Mandla and Jabalpur which connect with Nagpur will be included in the Gati Shakti Road Cluster project,” Gadkari maintained.
The Union Minister also announced approving 23 road overbridges (RoBs) worth over Rs 1600 crore for MP under the nationwide Setu Bharatam Project.
Lauding the economic reforms initiated by Manmohan Singh, he said that the country is indebted to the former Prime Minister for these.
By Express News Service
NEW DELHI: Implementation of the proposal to make six airbags mandatory in passenger cars has been deferred by one year to October 1, 2023. The Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari made the announcement on Thursday.
The government had earlier planned to make six airbags mandatory in eight-seater vehicles for enhanced safety of occupants from October 1, 2022. “Considering the global supply chain constraints being faced by the auto industry and its impact on the macroeconomic scenario, it has been decided to implement the proposal mandating a minimum of 6 Airbags in Passenger Cars (M-1 Category) w. e.f (with effect from) 01st October 2023,” Gadkari tweeted.
The minister further asserted that the safety of all passengers travelling in motor vehicles irrespective of their cost and variants is the foremost priority. Earlier to ensure the safety of occupants of the motor vehicle against lateral impact, it had been decided to enhance safety features by amending the Central Motor Vehicles Rules (CMVR), 1989.
A draft notification had been issued in January 2022, which mandated that vehicles of category M1 (motor vehicle used for the carriage of passengers, comprising not more than eight seats in addition to the driver’s seat), manufactured after October 1 2022, shall be fitted with two side or side torso airbags, one each for the persons occupying front row outboard seating positions, and two side curtain or tube air bags, one each for the persons occupying outboard seating positions.
NEW DELHI: Implementation of the proposal to make six airbags mandatory in passenger cars has been deferred by one year to October 1, 2023. The Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari made the announcement on Thursday.
The government had earlier planned to make six airbags mandatory in eight-seater vehicles for enhanced safety of occupants from October 1, 2022. “Considering the global supply chain constraints being faced by the auto industry and its impact on the macroeconomic scenario, it has been decided to implement the proposal mandating a minimum of 6 Airbags in Passenger Cars (M-1 Category) w. e.f (with effect from) 01st October 2023,” Gadkari tweeted.
The minister further asserted that the safety of all passengers travelling in motor vehicles irrespective of their cost and variants is the foremost priority. Earlier to ensure the safety of occupants of the motor vehicle against lateral impact, it had been decided to enhance safety features by amending the Central Motor Vehicles Rules (CMVR), 1989.
A draft notification had been issued in January 2022, which mandated that vehicles of category M1 (motor vehicle used for the carriage of passengers, comprising not more than eight seats in addition to the driver’s seat), manufactured after October 1 2022, shall be fitted with two side or side torso airbags, one each for the persons occupying front row outboard seating positions, and two side curtain or tube air bags, one each for the persons occupying outboard seating positions.
By ANI
NEW DELHI: Union Minister Nitin Gadkari on Tuesday highlighted the importance of seatbelts in a car and said that it would be mandatory for all the passengers in a car to wear them.
Sharing a video from an event, the Union Minister said that seatbelts will be mandated. “It will now be mandatory for all the people sitting in the car to wear a seat belt,” tweeted Union Minister Nitin Gadkari.
In the video, he also highlighted that the safety beeps will now be present for rare seats along with the front seats which will buzz if one doesn’t put on a seat belt.
His remarks came after well-known industrialist and former Tata Sons chairman Mistry died in a road accident near Mumbai on Sunday evening. Reports of him not wearing the rare seat belt soon made rounds after the accident.
ALSO READ | Cyrus Mistry’s death: Negligence of safety measures, died due to polytrauma
According to Palghar Police, Mistry was travelling from Ahmedabad to Mumbai when his car hit the divider. There were four people in the car. Two died on the spot, including Mistry, while the other two were shifted to hospital.
Earlier in the day, Police asked the car manufacturer company why the airbags in the ill-fated SUV did not open at the time of the accident.
Palghar Police asked several questions from the car manufacturer company, “Why do not the airbags open? Was there any mechanical fault in the vehicle? What was the brake fluid of the car? What was the tire pressure?”
Police said that these vehicles come out of the plant only after proper testing. “In such a situation, what is the report of the collision impact on the manufacturer’s investigation? Was the steering locked after the collision?” Police asked the car manufacturer.
ALSO READ | Cyrus Mistry car accident: Mercedes team collects data
The car manufacturer team will submit the answers to all these questions in its report.
According to sources, the car manufacturer company has informed the Palghar police that the data recorder chip of the vehicle will be sent to Germany for decoding and after decoding from Germany, detailed information about the SUV will be made available to the police.
It may take several days in this process. In this data recorder, detailed information about the vehicle will be available. Information will be there like how the brake, airbag and other machinery were working. The speed of the car at the time of the accident will also be known.
The estimates about the speed of the vehicle are made on the basis of different video footage or time calculations. The average speed of the vehicle will be known but it is impossible to estimate the speed of the vehicle at different places at different times. Therefore, whatever the speed of the vehicle must have been at the time of the accident, the exact information will be revealed only after getting detailed information from the data recorder, police sources told ANI.
ALSO READ | Mistry death highlights importance of rear passengers wearing seat belts; here’s what may have happened
Sources said Cyrus Mistry and others had left Udvada at 1:25 pm on Sunday and the accident happened around 2:28 pm. So they covered a distance of about 60 to 65 kilometres in 1 hour and 2 minutes.
Police are verifying whether they had stopped somewhere during this journey or they were moving at a very high speed in the middle.
Apart from Mistry, another deceased has been identified as Jahangir Dinsha Pandole. The injured Anayata Pandole and Darius Pandole are currently undergoing treatment at a hospital.The driver of the car in which Cyrus Mistry was travelling lost control due to overspeeding and rammed into the divider, said Palghar Police sources on Sunday.
“Prima facie, it looks like the car driver lost control. Cyrus Mistry’s mortal remains are at a government hospital in Kasa. An Accidental Death Report (ADR) is being filed by the police, as per procedure,” Palghar Police sources told ANI.
NEW DELHI: Union Minister Nitin Gadkari on Tuesday highlighted the importance of seatbelts in a car and said that it would be mandatory for all the passengers in a car to wear them.
Sharing a video from an event, the Union Minister said that seatbelts will be mandated. “It will now be mandatory for all the people sitting in the car to wear a seat belt,” tweeted Union Minister Nitin Gadkari.
In the video, he also highlighted that the safety beeps will now be present for rare seats along with the front seats which will buzz if one doesn’t put on a seat belt.
His remarks came after well-known industrialist and former Tata Sons chairman Mistry died in a road accident near Mumbai on Sunday evening. Reports of him not wearing the rare seat belt soon made rounds after the accident.
ALSO READ | Cyrus Mistry’s death: Negligence of safety measures, died due to polytrauma
According to Palghar Police, Mistry was travelling from Ahmedabad to Mumbai when his car hit the divider. There were four people in the car. Two died on the spot, including Mistry, while the other two were shifted to hospital.
Earlier in the day, Police asked the car manufacturer company why the airbags in the ill-fated SUV did not open at the time of the accident.
Palghar Police asked several questions from the car manufacturer company, “Why do not the airbags open? Was there any mechanical fault in the vehicle? What was the brake fluid of the car? What was the tire pressure?”
Police said that these vehicles come out of the plant only after proper testing. “In such a situation, what is the report of the collision impact on the manufacturer’s investigation? Was the steering locked after the collision?” Police asked the car manufacturer.
ALSO READ | Cyrus Mistry car accident: Mercedes team collects data
The car manufacturer team will submit the answers to all these questions in its report.
According to sources, the car manufacturer company has informed the Palghar police that the data recorder chip of the vehicle will be sent to Germany for decoding and after decoding from Germany, detailed information about the SUV will be made available to the police.
It may take several days in this process. In this data recorder, detailed information about the vehicle will be available. Information will be there like how the brake, airbag and other machinery were working. The speed of the car at the time of the accident will also be known.
The estimates about the speed of the vehicle are made on the basis of different video footage or time calculations. The average speed of the vehicle will be known but it is impossible to estimate the speed of the vehicle at different places at different times. Therefore, whatever the speed of the vehicle must have been at the time of the accident, the exact information will be revealed only after getting detailed information from the data recorder, police sources told ANI.
ALSO READ | Mistry death highlights importance of rear passengers wearing seat belts; here’s what may have happened
Sources said Cyrus Mistry and others had left Udvada at 1:25 pm on Sunday and the accident happened around 2:28 pm. So they covered a distance of about 60 to 65 kilometres in 1 hour and 2 minutes.
Police are verifying whether they had stopped somewhere during this journey or they were moving at a very high speed in the middle.
Apart from Mistry, another deceased has been identified as Jahangir Dinsha Pandole. The injured Anayata Pandole and Darius Pandole are currently undergoing treatment at a hospital.The driver of the car in which Cyrus Mistry was travelling lost control due to overspeeding and rammed into the divider, said Palghar Police sources on Sunday.
“Prima facie, it looks like the car driver lost control. Cyrus Mistry’s mortal remains are at a government hospital in Kasa. An Accidental Death Report (ADR) is being filed by the police, as per procedure,” Palghar Police sources told ANI.