Campaigning for safer cars for India Posted: 29 Feb 2016 02:18 AM PST Consumer organisations are campaigning for better car safety in India. A participatory strategy development workshop was held in Chennai in February. Swathy Satyamurti, Director of Projects at the Consumers Association of India, reflects on what was achieved.
Why is it that cars manufactured in India don’t have basic safety features like airbags fitted in them? But the same car if manufactured in Europe has it? Is the life of a person living in India any less valuable? Given India’s claim to fame, of having one of the highest number of road fatalities in the world, how can auto manufacturers continue to sell less safe cars in our market? Conveniently, the Indian auto industry found a loophole to circumvent demands for better basic safety features – which is, they are adhering to the safety measures laid down by the Indian Government.
