New Delhi, Jan 29 : Union Minister Nitin Gadkari commended Project Abhay at an event held at IIT Delhi, recognizing its significant role in enhancing road safety and improving the well-being of truck drivers.
Developed by the Centre for Rural Development & Technology (CRDT), IIT Delhi, in collaboration with Foresight Foundation and supported by the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways (MoRTH), Project Abhay focuses on addressing health, vision, and safety concerns within the trucking community.
Having screened over 50,000 truck drivers across Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu, the project has tackled critical vision and health issues affecting this often-overlooked workforce.
Prof. Vivek Kumar (CRDT, IIT Delhi) and Prof. Rangan Banerjee (Director, IIT Delhi) were also present at the culmination ceremony on Wednesday.
Gadkari emphasized the project’s dual impact on road safety and driver welfare, stating:
“Project Abhay is not just about making roads safer; it’s about transforming the lives of truck drivers. Many of them belong to economically and socially disadvantaged backgrounds, and improving their quality of life is essential for India’s overall well-being. With 70% of transportation dependent on road networks and logistics costs ranging between 14-16%, reducing these expenses is key to boosting exports and national efficiency.”*
Key Findings of the Project Abhay Report
The report revealed pressing health concerns among truck drivers:
– 55.1% had vision impairments, with 53.3% requiring distance vision correction and 46.7% needing near-vision correction.
– The project successfully corrected 93.7% of vision issues, providing on-the-spot spectacles through Abhay Health Camps.
– 44.3% of drivers had high or borderline BMI.
– 57.4% exhibited elevated blood pressure.
– 33.9% reported moderate stress levels.
– Social security coverage surged from 51.5% to 86.16%, benefiting over 62,700 family members with a cumulative value of ₹502 crore.
The Abhay App played a crucial role in real-time data collection, optimizing camp operations, and ensuring transparency, while live dashboards provided actionable insights for immediate intervention.
The initiative also included:
– Regular health and vision screenings
– On-site provision of spectacles
– Social security linkages
– Upskilling in legal compliance and physical wellness
– A dedicated web portal for truck drivers
Government’s Commitment to Road Safety and Logistics Efficiency
Highlighting the shortage of truck drivers, Gadkari pointed out that India currently has only 75 drivers per 100 trucks, which impacts the efficiency of the sector. He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to **driver training, digitization, and app integration to improve working conditions.
“With 5 lakh accidents and 1.8 lakh fatalities annually, advanced safety technologies such as automatic emergency braking and electronic stability control, along with human behavior training from a young age, are essential to reducing road fatalities,”* Gadkari said.
He further stressed that IIT research-backed innovations are being explored to cut costs and enhance efficiency in the transportation sector.
“Through initiatives like Project Abhay, we are laying the foundation for a safer, more efficient, and equitable logistics system,” he concluded.
