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Seat belts mandatory in buses too? Key takeaways for passengers
Seat belts mandatory in buses too? Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari on Monday, May 11, announced that seat belts will now be mandatory for passengers travelling in buses. Here's what passengers need to know:
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Union Minister Gadkari said that the aim of making seat belts mandatory in buses is to reduce deaths and serious injuries in road accidents. Image: AI-Generated by ChatGPT
Reported By: Ambarish Pandey
Written By: ZeeBiz WebTeam
Updated: Mon, May 11, 2026
05:47 PM IST
05:47 PM IST
ZeeBiz WebDesk
Seat belts mandatory in buses too? Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari on Monday, May 11, announced that seat belts will now be mandatory for passengers travelling in buses. The proposed move will apply to various categories of buses, including long-distance and luxury. He made the announcement during an event in Delhi-NCR, where he also inaugurated Delhi’s first barrier-free toll plaza at Mundka-Bakkarwala on the Urban Extension Road-II corridor.
Government’s Road Safety Push: Aim to reduce road accident fatalities
The aim of this decision is to reduce deaths and serious injuries in road accidents, said Union Minister Gadkari. The government believes that many lives can be saved if passengers wear seat belts while travelling, especially in cases where buses overturn or collide at high speed.
Why Seat Belts in Buses Are Needed
In recent years, several major bus accidents across the country have involved passengers being thrown from their seats during collisions, resulting in serious injuries. And seat belts help keep passengers securely in their seats and increase their chances of survival during accidents.
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Barrier-Free Multi Lane Free Flow (MLFF) Tolling
On Monday, May 11, Transport Minister Gadkari inaugurated Delhi’s first and India's second barrier-free toll plaza at Mundka-Bakkarwala on the Urban Extension Road-II corridor. The first MLFF toll plaza was introduced in Gujarat, and it has become operational from 1 May 2026 at Choyasi toll plaza (NH-48 Surat-Bharuch section).
What is MLFF tolling?
Under the MLFF system, vehicles are not required to stop at toll plazas and the toll fee is collected automatically through FASTag using advanced FASTag readers, number plate recognition technology and AI-enabled cameras.
Key benefits of the MLFF system:
• Fuel savings of Rs 285 crore every year
• Reduction in CO2 emission by 81,000 tonnes
• Saving of lakhs of hours of travel time
• Major improvement in logistics efficiency
This new arrangement is expected to reduce congestion and eliminate long queues at toll plazas, allowing vehicles to move without interruption. Click here to read more on this
Also Read: From Textile Hub to Industrial Powerhouse: PM Modi unveils Rs 9,400 crore Telangana projects
Government’s Future Plan for Toll Infrastructure
The government aims to make all major toll plazas across the country barrier-free by the end of 2026.
Here are some frequently asked questions and answers related to the topic:
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