Cabinet approves India-UAE MoU on bilateral cooperation in road transport and highways

The Union Cabinet chaired by prime minister Narendra Modi has approved the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between India and the United Arab Emirates on bilateral cooperation in the road transport and highways sector to be signed between the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, India and the Federal Transport Authority – Land and Maritime, UAE.

The proposed MoU envisages increased cooperation, exchange and collaboration between India and the UAE, and will contribute to increased investment in infrastructure development and enhance logistics efficiency. This will help in promoting safe, economical, efficient and environmentally sound road transport in the country and will further help both the countries in creating an institutional mechanism for cooperation in the field. Salient features of the MoU are:

- Exchange and sharing of knowledge and cooperation in transportation technologies and transport policies, for passenger and freight movement by road.

- Planning, administration and management of road infrastructure, technology and standards for roads/highways construction and maintenance.

- Sharing of information and best practices for developing road safety plans and road safety intervention strategies, and outreach activities aimed at reducing deaths and injuries resulting from road accidents through:

- Sharing of knowledge and best practices in user-free (toll)-related issues; including modern systems, technologies and methods of levying of user-free and collection including Electronic Toll Collection System.

- Sharing of information areas of improved technologies and materials in road and bridge construction, including joint research; and

- Sharing of information and cooperation for mobilising investments for setting up of logistics parks, freight logistics, transportation warehousing and value added services (VAS) as an enabler and as a catalyst of economic growth and seamless freight movement.