NEW DELHI: In a significant development, the Delhi government is holding talks with Bloomberg Philanthropies to begin a major project on road safety in the national capital.
In this regard, Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot met representatives from Bloomberg Philanthropies last week in the city.
“The Delhi government is entering into a partnership with Bloomberg Philanthropies, and road safety is the major component of this engagement,” a source in the government told this newspaper.
Besides Bloomberg Philanthropies, World Research Institute (WRI) is also working with the city government to devise a plan on road safety. Sources said that Gahlot also met the representatives from the WRI and the work has already begun.
“A representative from the WRI is in constant touch with the government. At the moment they are surveying the issues concerning road safety to devise a proper plan,” the source added.
Michael R. Bloomberg, ex-Mayor of New York City and the founder of Bloomberg Philanthropies, choose Mumbai, along with nine other cities worldwide, to help develop road safety in 2015.
This initiative is a part of the foundation’s Global Road Safety Initiative, which will invest $125 over five years with the aim of implementing national road safety legislation and city-level interventions to save lives on the roads.
“While the Delhi government was keen in improving road safety across the city, it was not able to respond at the time. Bloomberg had reached out to India for this initiative and chosen Mumbai. Now that we are working on the road safety policy, any help would be welcome to begin an initiative to improve the road safety of the people in Delhi,” the government source added.
Part of global plan
This initiative is a part of the Global Road Safety Initiative, which will invest $125 over five years with the aim of implementing national road safety legislation and city-level interventions to save lives on the roads.