Air-conditioned cabins for trucks will soon be made mandatory, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari said on Monday. As drivers play a key role in the transport sector, which is one of the most important areas for India as the fastest growing large economy in the world, there is a need to address issues regarding their working conditions and state of mind, the minister of road transport and highways said here.

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He was speaking at an event to unveil a book -- 'Desh Chaalak': A book honouring Indian Drivers. Lamenting that truck drivers have been forced to work in extreme heat conditions, the minister said that he has been pushing for air-conditioned cabins for truck drivers for a long time. "Some people objected to it saying it will increase costs...But before coming here I have signed on the file that henceforth, driver cabins in trucks will be air-conditioned," Gadkari said.

He stressed the need to improve the working conditions of drivers and also take steps to overcome the shortage of drivers by setting up more driving schools. Due to the shortage, drivers in India are working 14-16 hours at a stretch while in other countries their working hours are fixed, Gadkari added.

With India emerging as the fastest-growing major economy in the world, he said logistics is very important and there is a need to reduce the cost of logistics in order to increase India's exports. "Our logistics cost, as compared to the rest of the world, is 14-16 per cent. In China, it is 8-10 per cent, in European countries and the US it is 12 per cent. If we have to increase exports, we have to cut logistics costs," Gadkari said.

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