The Lok Sabha on Monday passed the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill, 2016 that seeks to bring a generational shift in procuring driving licences, proposes stiffer penalties for traffic rule violations and provides for protection of Good Samaritans from legal harassment.

Responding to the debate in the House on the bill, Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari assured the members of   including doctors and nurses in the list of Good Samaritans prepared by his ministry for protection from harassment in connection with road accidents.

BJP MP Kiron Kher made the suggestion to include doctors and nurses in the ministry’s list, which has been shared with the stakeholders. The move is to encourage people and doctors to come forward to help road accident victims without fearing trouble from the police.

The bill will come up in the Rajya Sabha for discussion and passage on Tuesday. Gadkari, who came in for praise from the members for pushing through the long-pending bill, told the House that the compensation to the family of accident victims has been increased ten-fold from Rs 50,000 to Rs 5 lakh, which will be paid by the insurance companies.

If the compensation is increased to Rs 20 lakh as demanded, the insurance premium will go up, he noted.The minister’s clarification was in response to CPM MP Sankar Prasad Datta, who eventually forced a division questioning the cap on the compensation amount, which was supported by the Congress and other Opposition parties. The division was defeated with 221 voting against it and 37 in favour.

Higher compensation

The minister explained that people were free to approach tribunals to demand more compensation in case of road accidents.