Recent parliamentary proceedings have addressed key developments in vehicle safety and transportation. Here's a breakdown of the key highlights:

New Vehicle Tracking System in Delhi

The Delhi government has been actively working to upgrade its public vehicle tracking system to enhance safety and security. In September 2024, the government signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the National Informatics Centre (NIC) and National Informatics Centre Services Inc. to modernize the vehicle tracking devices installed in public transport vehicles across the city.

This upgrade involves implementing a new backend system and monitoring center for vehicle location tracking (VLT) and an emergency alert system (EAS), adhering to AIS-140 standards. The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways is providing funding for the system upgrade through the Nirbhaya Framework. This mandates that all public vehicle owners transition from the existing system managed by DIMTS (Delhi Integrated Multi-Modal Transit System) to the new NIC-managed backend. Delhi Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot has also announced a waiver of the annual fee for the Vehicle Location Tracking Device for all commercial passenger vehicles. The new system aims to bolster public safety by enabling real-time tracking and emergency response capabilities for public service vehicles throughout Delhi.

Bharat NCAP Ratings

The Bharat New Car Assessment Programme (Bharat NCAP) continues to be a focal point, providing safety ratings for vehicles sold in India. As of today, December 18, 2025, a total of 27 vehicle safety ratings have been released since the program's launch in August 2023. Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari informed the Parliament that Bharat NCAP is India's official crash-test and vehicle safety rating program for M1 category vehicles (cars, SUVs) with a gross vehicle weight of up to 3,500 kilograms. The program became operational on October 1, 2023, as a voluntary initiative.

Bharat NCAP aims to offer credible, transparent, and India-specific star-based safety ratings to help consumers make informed decisions. The safety ratings are in addition to the existing mandatory safety requirements. The vehicles tested under the program include models from manufacturers such as Tata, Mahindra, Maruti, Hyundai, Kia, Toyota, Honda, Skoda, and Citroen. The government has clarified that, for now, vehicles are tested under Bharat NCAP on a voluntary basis following the AIS-197 protocol. Bharat NCAP ratings and star ratings are publicly accessible, enabling consumers to compare car models based on crash performance. The assessment protocol includes pedestrian protection and child occupant safety, with separate child safety ratings awarded for each vehicle.

As of July 2025, Bharat NCAP had tested 21 cars, including SUVs and EVs, with 18 achieving a 5-star rating in both adult and child safety. Crash tests focus on Adult Occupant Protection (AOP) and Child Occupant Protection (COP).

Other Key Updates

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari has also revealed that numerous National Highway projects are facing delays due to land acquisition, environmental clearances, and financing concerns.