Seat belts mandatory in buses too? Key takeaways for passengers

Seat belts mandatory in buses too? Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari on Monday, May 11, announced that seat belts will now be mandatory for passengers travelling in buses. The proposed move will apply to various categories of buses, including long-distance and luxury. He made the announcement during an event in Delhi-NCR, where he also inaugurated Delhi’s first barrier-free toll plaza at Mundka-Bakkarwala on the Urban Extension Road-II corridor.

Government’s Road Safety Push: Aim to reduce road accident fatalities

The aim of this decision is to reduce deaths and serious injuries in road accidents, said Union Minister Gadkari. The government believes that many lives can be saved if passengers wear seat belts while travelling, especially in cases where buses overturn or collide at high speed.

Why Seat Belts in Buses Are Needed

In recent years, several major bus accidents across the country have involved passengers being thrown from their seats during collisions, resulting in serious injuries. And seat belts help keep passengers securely in their seats and increase their chances of survival during accidents.

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Barrier-Free Multi Lane Free Flow (MLFF) Tolling

On Monday, May 11, Transport Minister Gadkari inaugurated Delhi’s first and India's second barrier-free toll plaza at Mundka-Bakkarwala on the Urban Extension Road-II corridor. The first MLFF toll plaza was introduced in Gujarat, and it has become operational from 1 May 2026 at Choyasi toll plaza (NH-48 Surat-Bharuch section).

What is MLFF tolling?

Under the MLFF system, vehicles are not required to stop at toll plazas and the toll fee is collected automatically through FASTag using advanced FASTag readers, number plate recognition technology and AI-enabled cameras.

Key benefits of the MLFF system:
• Fuel savings of Rs 285 crore every year
• Reduction in CO2 emission by 81,000 tonnes
• Saving of lakhs of hours of travel time
• Major improvement in logistics efficiency

This new arrangement is expected to reduce congestion and eliminate long queues at toll plazas, allowing vehicles to move without interruption. Click here to read more on this

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Government’s Future Plan for Toll Infrastructure

The government aims to make all major toll plazas across the country barrier-free by the end of 2026.

Here are some frequently asked questions and answers related to the topic:

FAQs related to the article

Q1 Is cash payment at toll plazas still allowed?

Cash transactions at toll plazas have already been discontinued, which means vehicles are no longer required to stop for manual payments.

Q2 What happens if a vehicle does not have a valid FASTag or sufficient balance?

Vehicles without a valid FASTag or sufficient balance will be given a 72-hour window to make the payment.

Q3 What happens after 72 hours if the payment is not made?

If the toll amount is not paid within 72 hours, the vehicle owner will have to pay double the toll charge.

Q4 Is the government planning to increase toll rates under the new system?

There is currently no proposal to increase toll rates.