A renewed push to synchronise transport policy across India gathered momentum in New Delhi this week, as the Union government urged states to work more closely with the Centre to accelerate long-pending road and mobility reforms. The discussions, held at a national forum of transport ministers and officials, signal a shift towards coordinated governance in a sector that directly shapes urban safety, economic productivity and environmental outcomes.Â
Transport, governed concurrently by the Union and state governments, often suffers from uneven implementation of reforms across regions. Senior officials present at the meeting said fragmented rules and varied enforcement standards have slowed progress on road safety, vehicle regulation and passenger services. Stronger Centre state transport coordination, they noted, is increasingly seen as essential to deliver consistent outcomes for citizens and businesses.
The meeting brought together transport ministers from states and Union Territories, following a preparatory workshop involving transport secretaries and technical officials. Over two days, participants reviewed progress and bottlenecks across multiple priorities, including road safety management, digitisation of services, regulatory simplification and cleaner vehicle norms. A major focus area was the digital transformation of transport services through national platforms that manage vehicle registration and driving licences. Officials assessed how far states have reduced paperwork and physical visits, while also flagging concerns around data quality and interoperability. Urban mobility experts say better digital integration can significantly improve ease of doing business, particularly for logistics operators and fleet owners operating across state borders.
Road safety emerged as another central theme, with discussions covering accident reporting systems, post-crash emergency response and district-level safety planning. Officials indicated that a unified accident data framework is being promoted to help cities and states identify high-risk corridors and design targeted interventions. For rapidly urbanising regions, such measures are critical to reducing fatalities while accommodating rising travel demand. The forum also reviewed proposed updates to vehicle and transport regulations, including simplified compliance norms and clearer enforcement mechanisms. These changes are intended to support innovation in the automobile sector, encourage responsible fleet renewal and align safety standards nationwide. Environmental considerations featured prominently, with deliberations on emissions testing upgrades, vehicle scrappage capacity and intelligent transport systems that can reduce congestion-related pollution.
Industry representatives and transport associations shared operational feedback, highlighting the need for predictable rules and faster approvals. Urban planners attending the sessions underlined that transport reform is no longer just a highways issue, but a cornerstone of inclusive and climate-resilient city planning.
Officials concluded that outcomes from the deliberations would be consolidated into a shared roadmap for states and the Centre. Whether Centre state transport coordination translates into faster, more equitable mobility improvements will depend on how consistently states adopt the agreed frameworks. For India’s cities and highways alike, the next phase will test the system’s ability to turn alignment into safer roads, cleaner air and more reliable movement of people and goods.
India transport ministry seeks tighter state alignment
