SIAM's SAFE initiative hosted its 27th Road Safety Convention in Gandhinagar, releasing a context paper and showcasing commercial vehicles from Ashok Leyland and VECV.
Key points
- SAFE Hosts 27th Convention In Gandhinagar
- The Context Paper And Regional Programmes
- Commercial Vehicles On Display At The Exhibition
- What Industry And Government Leaders Said
- Frequently Asked Questions On Commercial Vehicles
Road safety policy and commercial vehicle manufacturing shared the same stage in Gandhinagar this week. SIAM's SAFE initiative hosted its 27th Annual Convention alongside the Gujarat Road Safety Authority, unveiling a new context paper on India's safety challenges while an accompanying exhibition put commercial vehicles from leading manufacturers on display.
SAFE Hosts 27th Convention In Gandhinagar
Table of Contents
|
1. SAFE Hosts 27th Convention In Gandhinagar |
|
2. The Context Paper And Regional Programmes |
|
3. Commercial Vehicles On Display At The Exhibition |
|
4. What Industry And Government Leaders Said |
The Society for Automotive Fitness & Environment, or SAFE, is a road safety initiative under the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers. Held under the state's 'Safe Journey' programme, this year's convention brought together the Gujarat transport department and the Gujarat Road Safety Authority to address enforcement, engineering standards and broader institutional road safety practices.
The Context Paper And Regional Programmes
During the inaugural session, Pravin Gordhanji Mali, Gujarat's Minister of State for Forests, Environment, Climate Change and Transport, formally released a context paper titled "Analysing India's Imperatives for Road Safety", setting out the state's broader policy framing for the issue.
Alongside the paper, the Gujarat government also announced two targeted regional initiatives, a road safety programme in Ahmedabad developed with Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India, and a public awareness campaign in Gandhinagar run in partnership with the National Institute of Design.
► Read More: Ashok Leyland Evaluates EV Battery Project in Bhandara With Up to Rs 15,000 Crore Investment
Commercial Vehicles On Display At The Exhibition
An exhibition running alongside the main convention showcased 10 vehicles spanning two-wheelers, three-wheelers, passenger cars and commercial vehicles, with manufacturers including Hero MotoCorp, TVS Motor, Mahindra & Mahindra, Skoda, Maruti Suzuki and, on the commercial vehicle side, Ashok Leyland and Switch Mobility.
VE Commercial Vehicles also participated in the exhibition, and buyers curious about the brand's current lineup can browse Eicher trucks for a sense of what the manufacturer offers today. A dedicated eye check-up mobile unit was also part of the exhibition, tying the event's road safety theme directly to driver health.
What Industry And Government Leaders Said
P R Patelia, Secretary of Gujarat's Roads & Buildings Department, pointed to the sheer diversity of vehicle categories on Indian roads, seven or eight distinct types by his count, as a core reason road safety solutions need to come from genuine cross-industry brainstorming rather than a single fixed approach.
Satish Patel, Commissioner of the Gujarat Road Safety Authority, called road safety an ongoing battle requiring sustained collective effort, while Alok Jaitley, President of SAFE and Executive Officer at Maruti Suzuki India, described it as a shared responsibility that only works when individual interventions come together into one integrated ecosystem. Fleet operators reviewing their own safety-related vehicle choices can browse the current buses range, where safety features increasingly factor into purchase decisions alongside price and capacity.
► Check Vehicle Challan: Check pending challan and pay online easily with TrucksBuses.com and stay updated on your vehicle fines.
Frequently Asked Questions On Commercial Vehicles
Q1. What is SAFE and who organised the Gandhinagar convention?
Ans: SAFE, or Society for Automotive Fitness & Environment, is a road safety initiative under SIAM, which hosted the convention alongside the Gujarat Road Safety Authority.
Q2. What was unveiled during the convention's inaugural session?
Ans: A context paper titled "Analysing India's Imperatives for Road Safety" was formally released, along with two new regional road safety initiatives for Gujarat.
Q3. Which commercial vehicle manufacturers took part in the exhibition?
Ans: Ashok Leyland, Switch Mobility and VE Commercial Vehicles were among the manufacturers showcasing commercial vehicles at the exhibition held alongside the convention.
Q4. What regional road safety initiatives did the Gujarat government announce?
Ans: The government announced a road safety programme in Ahmedabad with Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India, and an awareness campaign in Gandhinagar with the National Institute of Design.