The Union Road Transport and Highways Ministry has taken a significant step towards improving road traffic safety and management by introducing new guidelines for road signage on the national highways network and expressways. These guidelines, released by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), aim to enhance road safety and ensure a secure travel experience for drivers across the country.
The guidelines, approved by Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, are designed to incorporate best practices and international standards, providing improved visibility and intuitive guidance to drivers. Road signages play a crucial role in providing vital information and instructions to drivers, and the new guidelines focus on optimizing their effectiveness. As part of the review process, MoRTH evaluated existing provisions in line with relevant Indian Road Congress (IRC) codes and guidelines, international practices, and functional perspectives. The objective was to streamline traffic regulations and create signages that offer clear and concise guidance, warnings, notices, and regulatory information to drivers, facilitating a seamless and safe journey on the roads.
One of the primary highlights of the guidelines is the emphasis on enhancing visibility and legibility. The strategic placement of signages at appropriate heights and distances, coupled with the use of large lettering, symbols, and short legends, aims to ensure that crucial information remains easily visible and comprehensible, even during adverse weather conditions.
To cater to a diverse group of road users, including those with limited literacy, the guidelines propose the use of pictorial depictions along with text. This approach aims to effectively convey essential messages, ensuring better comprehension and adherence to traffic regulations.
Recognizing the linguistic diversity of India, MoRTH has also advocated a multilingual approach on road signages. By using both English and regional languages, communication with road users from different linguistic backgrounds will be enhanced, promoting better understanding and compliance with traffic rules.
The guidelines also lay stress on the importance of lane discipline. Clear and intuitive guidance provided by strategically positioned signages is expected to encourage drivers to adhere to designated lanes, leading to reduced traffic congestion and improved traffic flow.
These comprehensive guidelines will be implemented on all upcoming Highways, Expressways, and greenfield corridors in a phased manner. Additionally, Highways experiencing high traffic volume, with more than 20,000 Passenger Car Units (PCUs), will be given priority for the implementation of these guidelines.