| |
Maruti Suzuki to set up
two Driving Training Centres in partnership with Haryana government |
|
| New Delhi, January 16, 2009 |
|
Haryana Chief Minister,
Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda, today laid the foundation stone for two
Institutes of Driving and Traffic Research at Bahadurgarh and Rohtak. Mr
Shinzo Nakanishi, Managing Director and CEO, Maruti Suzuki India Limited
was present on the occasion. Maruti Suzuki will set up, manage and run
the institutes in the two towns. An array of senior state government
officials and other dignitaries graced the occasion.
The two institutes will form an integral part of Maruti Suzuki's ongoing
corporate social responsibility initiative - the National Road Safety
Mission - announced in December 2008. Under the National Road Safety
Mission (NRSM) the company plans to train 5 lakh persons in road safety
across India in the next 3 years.
Speaking on the occasion, Haryana's Chief Minister, Mr Bhupinder Singh
Hooda said, "Growth of any region, to a large extent, depends on the
availability of transport facilities. Hence, it is crucial that these
facilities expand quickly. These Driving Training Institutes being
started with Maruti Suzuki will not only give driving training but will
also sensitize the learners towards various aspects of road usage and
safety. Each center centers would annually train around 12,000 persons."
On the occasion Maruti Suzuki Managing Director and CEO Mr Shinzo
Nakanishi said, "Road safety is an integral part of Maruti Suzuki's
Social Responsibility. The company has been promoting safer driving
practices through different formats such as IDTRs and Maruti Driving
Schools. We realize that as a subject, road safety is very vast and
requires an integrated approach of different stakeholders such as
public, vehicle manufacturers, the government, civil society etc. We
hope that our initiative with Haryana Government will be a catalyst for
other organizations to join the road safety effort in the country.
In addition to imparting motor driving skills and technical training to
the public, IDTR Haryana would also assist, advice and support the
Haryana government in activities that contribute to safety on roads and
facilitate in improving the transport system in the state.
While the state-of-the-art Bahadurgarh IDTR is spread over 12 acres, the
Rohtak facility sprawls 17.5 acres. Both the institutes will offer class
room training as well as test tracks for enhancing driving skills.
Maruti Suzuki will, in fact, bring in advanced training module that is
based on international lines. Advanced driving simulators will help
impart training in safe environment. Arrangement of hostel for learners
would be an added advantage. In addition, these facilities would also
house a 'vehicle tester line' for vehicle fitness which would evaluate
older vehicles for their suitability to ply on roads.
Once fully operational, these two IDTRs are expected to train around
3,000 candidates monthly in road safety. Maruti Suzuki presently
operates two IDTRs in Delhi and trains around 5,000 monthly.
Maruti Suzuki National Road Safety Mission
Maruti Suzuki has been playing a leading role for many years now in
promoting road safety and safe driving in the country.
Taking forward its Road Safety initiatives, Maruti Suzuki recently
unveiled a National Road Safety Mission (NRSM) programme. Under the
mission the company targets to train 500,000 people in safe driving in
the next 3 years across India. Of the 500,000 people to be trained, at
least 100,000 will be from underprivileged section of society, who are
keen to take driving as a profession.
NRSM works on the principle of public-private partnership and looks
forward to sensitize people across the country about various aspects of
safe driving and road safety. Going forward, IDTRs would evolve training
facility for the 'Driving Trainers'.
Crucially, this mission will enhance the employability of the jobless
youth in the region as the IDTRs, apart from providing 'safe' driving
training to existing and prospective drivers, will also impart training
on the technical and mechanical aspects in a vehicle.
While utilizing the existing 2 Institutes of Driving Training and
Research (IDTR) in Delhi and the 47 Maruti Driving Schools (MDS) across
the country the company plans to enter into partnerships with state
governments for more IDTRs and with its dealers for more MDS. |
| |