Govt mulling use of nitrogen filled tyres

The government is considering making it mandatory for manufacturers to mix silicone with rubber to improve quality of tyres and use of Nitrogen in them to help prevent road accidents, Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari informed the Rajya Sabha on Monday.

He said the cement concrete highway led to 133 deaths in 2016, 146 in 2017 and 11 in 2018. At least 77 people have died this year only in accidents on the 165-km expressway, according to RTI data accessed by NGO SaveLIFE Foundation.

As per international standards, silicone is mixed with rubber and nitrogen is filled in tyres to reduce the chances of a tyre bursting due to excessive heat.

Several road safety experts have pointed out the issue of frequent tyre bursting incidents and resulting accidents. Gadkari during his previous term as Road Transport Minister held a meeting with tyre experts during a discussion on adopting stringent road safety measures to curb accidents.

Early morning on Monday, a UP Roadways bus on the Noida Agra Yamuna Expressway collided against the safety railing at a high speed and plunged about 20 feet into a drain, killing 29 people. The Uttar Pradesh Government has constituted a committee to find out reasons for the accident.