Vishisht Saarthi awards honour truck drivers at Hyderabad road safety event
Hyderabad: Authorities honoured ten commercial vehicle drivers with the Vishisht Saarthi awards at a road safety event held at the Muthangi Truck Parking facility on the outskirts of Hyderabad on Tuesday.
The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and Indian Highways Management Company Limited (IHMCL) organised the initiative in collaboration with logistics platforms Truck Suvidha and Loadsor. The programme encourages responsible driving and recognises drivers who follow road discipline on national highways.
NHAI Chairman Santosh Kumar Yadav and IHMCL Managing Director Vishal Chauhan attended the event in Hyderabad. IHMCL Chief Executive Officer Mudit Agarwal joined the programme virtually from New Delhi. Officials said organisers conducted similar events simultaneously in five cities across the country.
Speaking at the event, Loadsor founder Ajit Bhandari said the programme aims to create awareness about road safety and promote professional driving practices among truck drivers.
Vishisht Saarthi awards promote safer highway driving
Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari launched the Vishisht Saarthi awards initiative. The programme focuses on drivers who follow traffic rules and maintain lane discipline. It also encourages safer driving practices on national highways.
Organisers presented certificates to the selected drivers. The certificates recognised their consistent adherence to safety standards while driving commercial vehicles.
Officials also conducted an awareness session on safe driving practices. The session highlighted emergency assistance services available on national highways.
Officials said truck drivers play a crucial role in India’s logistics and supply chain network. Union Home Minister Amit Shah earlier referred to truck drivers as “Saarthi,” recognising their contribution to keeping the country’s economy moving.
Organisers said initiatives like the Vishisht Saarthi awards help professionalise the trucking industry. They also improve safety standards across national highways.