Drive for the cause of Road Safety
NEW DELHI: The 9th edition of the prestigious JK Tyre-Constitution Club of India Car Rally for Parliamentarians was flagged off today from the Constitution Club of India (CCI) premises in New Delhi. The event was graced by the Chief Guest, Shri Kiren Rijiju, Hon’ble Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Minister of Minority Affairs, along with the Guest of Honour, Anshuman Singhania, Managing Director of JK Tyre & Industries, and other distinguished dignitaries.
Since its inception in 2010, the CCI Rally has established itself as a significant platform promoting road safety. This unique initiative brings together policymakers in a collective effort to raise awareness about responsible driving. This year, over 50 parliamentarians, including Mr. Anurag Thakur, Mr. Nishikant Dubey Mr. Rajiv Pratap Rudy, and other Members of Parliament along with invited bureaucrats, senior journalists, and teams of armed forces participated in the rally in their cars, reaffirming their dedication to safer roads while paying homage parliamentarians who tragically lost their lives in road accidents.
To further support this endeavor, the rally route included a stop at the Traffic Park, where participants revisited the fundamental driving rules and tested their knowledge of road safety signs. This interactive activity enhanced the overall experience and reinforced the importance of safe driving. The grandeur of the event was further elevated by the stunning display of classic and vintage cars, captivating attendees with their timeless charm.
The motto of the Car rally is “Road Safety”. On this occasion, we remember our distinguished Members of Parliament whom we lost in road accidents. Some of the prominent names include Former President of India Shri Giani Zail Singh, Union Minister Shri Rajesh Pilot, Union Minister & CM Shri Sahib Singh Verma, Union Minister Shri Yerrannaidu, MP Shri S.P. Muthukumaran, MP Shri Shrikant Jichkar, MP Shri Mahendra Singh Bhati and MP Shri Dayanand Sahay, Union Minister Shri Gopinath Munde, MP Shri Nandamuri Harikrishna, MP S Rajendran and many others.
India has the second largest road network in the world ranging from most modern highways stretching down to narrow, unpaved roads. Roads are the easiest way to access any part of the country. Significantly, our politicians spend a major part of their lives traveling for election campaigns, meeting people in their respective constituencies, or accessing their workplaces. However, the pressure of time, exhaustive working hours, and early morning to late night traveling make them more vulnerable to fatalities on the road. We have lost several Parliamentarians and Ministers in the course of road accidents.
Shri Kiren Rijiju, Hon’ble Minister expressed his concern about road accidents and shared his views that these types of rallies are essential to create awareness & promote road safety not only for members in particular but the people of the Country in general.
Anshuman Singhania, Managing Director, JK Tyre, said, “The JK Tyre-CCI Rally exemplifies our shared commitment to promoting safe and responsible driving. Road safety is not just about following rules — it is about saving lives. With the expanding network of Indian roads and national highways, the need to reinforce the message of road safety has become even more critical and we at JK Tyre have been dedicated to this cause for over three decades. Through awareness campaigns and product innovations, we remain dedicated to making our roads safer and advocating for road discipline as both responsible citizens and industry leaders.”
Shri Rajiv Pratap Rudy, Secretary, CCI also expressed his concern about the road accidents. Ministry has taken multi-pronged efforts for strengthening automobile safety standards, improving the road infrastructure, and other major initiatives under the vision of our Hon’ble Prime Minister of India Shri Narendra Modi, and Hon’ble Minister of Road Transport & Highways Shri Nitin Gadkari.
Some of the most common reasons are found to be speeding, use of mobile phones, riding without helmets and driving without seat belts and accessing highways at unauthorized points, roads & pedestrian crossings, etc.
Shri Rudy also recalled the message of the Hon. Prime Minister on Road Accidents in “Mann Ki Baat” where the Hon’ble Prime Minister has very deeply raised the tragedy caused by road accidents.
This alarming trend of road accidents and casualties has increased the severity and the spiraling road accident numbers bring to the fore the urgency and the need to enhance awareness among the masses of this country.
It is for this very same reason that Constitution Club of India in partnership with JK Tyre has taken this initiative to ensure a campaign to save lives so that the country can reap its economic dividends also.
The JK Tyre-CCI Rally followed a carefully planned route through the capital’s iconic landmarks, amplifying the crucial message of road safety. Participants competed in the TSD (Time, Speed, Distance) format, which focuses on precision rather than speed to encourage disciplined driving. Each team comprised a driver and a navigator, with the navigator responsible for following route instructions, calculating average speeds, and ensuring the team remained on schedule, as any deviation resulted in penalty points. With specified times and speeds set within legal limits, the FMSCI-compliant rally tested participants’ navigational skills while ensuring adherence to traffic norms.
The noble cause of road safety was supported by J K Tyre, IOCL, GAIL, Union Bank of India, Patanjali Ayurved Limited, Petronet LNG Limited, Numaligarh Refinery Ltd, NBCC, BPCL and Airports Authority of India.
The event will conclude with a grand prize distribution ceremony later in the evening at the Constitution Club of India, where the winners will be felicitated by Shri Om Birla, Hon’ble Speaker of Lok Sabha, and Anshuman Singhania.