New Delhi [India], January 8 (ANI): Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari announced new safety rules for sleeper buses, including mandatory fire detection systems, emergency exits, and driver drowsiness alerts, to prevent accidents and save lives.

In a video, Gadkari on Thursday said, 'In this crash investigation, sleeper coach buses are coming nowadays. In this, only automobile companies will manufacture sleeper coach buses.'

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'So, accreditation of bus facilities is to be done by the central government; we have taken it into our hands. So that we will not make any compromise about it. Existing buses to be retrofitted with a fire detection system, emergency exits with hammers, and emergency lighting. If the driver is sleepy, then we have also provided in our bus, there will be an alarm immediately, drowsiness indicators, which will alert him immediately,' he added.

Earlier on Wednesday, Gadkari highlighted how the agricultural waste can be converted into a valuable national resource, and noted that bio-bitumen is a 'transformative step' towards the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047.

While speaking at CSIR's Technology Transfer Ceremony titled 'From Farm Residue to Road: Bio-Bitumen via Pyrolysis', Minister Gadkari said, 'Today marks a historic milestone in India's road infrastructure, as the nation becomes the first in the world to commercially produce bio-bitumen.

He congratulated CSIR and its dedicated scientists and thanked Union Minister of State (MoS) for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions of India, Jitendra Singh, for his constant support in achieving this pioneering breakthrough.

'By utilising agro-waste, bio-bitumen reduces pollution caused by crop burning and strengthens the circular economy. With 15% blending, India can save nearly Rs 4,500 crore in foreign exchange and substantially reduce its dependence on imported crude oil,' the minister said.

Gadkari further stated that this innovation will empower farmers, generate rural livelihoods, and boost the rural economy. (ANI)