Maruti Suzuki has opened its first Institute of Driving and Traffic Research (IDTR) in Chhattisgarh. Being located at Naya Raipur, it was inaugurated by Hon’ble Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh, Shri Bhupesh Baghel. It is a joint initiative of Transport Department, Chhattisgarh and Maruti Suzuki which is setup under Public Private Partnership with guidance and support from Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH). Build over an investment of Rs 19 Crores, it has annual training capacity of 2,000 learners & 20,000 refresher trainees.
The Chhattisgarh Transport Department has provided the land while MoRTH has funded the infrastructure. Maruti Suzuki will manage and run the state-of-the-art driving training facility as a CSR initiative. Additionally, Maruti Suzuki has also contributed some equipment and vehicles to facilitate training. IDTR Chhattisgarh will offer seven courses which includes training programs for LMV learners, HMV learners, Refresher courses for HMV drivers and a training module for the trainers. There will be a combination of theory classes and practical training with focus on making the learner a responsible and safe driver. Apart from the basics of driving, the curriculum includes sessions on rules of the road, road signs, traffic rules and regulations, applicable laws and penalties, etc.
The facility has a dedicated wellness centre to teach simple yet effective yoga and meditation techniques for physical and mental wellbeing. It is the 8th IDTR in the country managed by Maruti Suzuki under its CSR program. Several senior officials from the State Government and Maruti Suzuki graced the inauguration ceremony. Dedicating the facility to people of Chhattisgarh, Hon’ble Chief Minister, Shri Bhupesh Baghel, said, “Road safety is a national concern. India has an ambitious target of reducing road accidents by half by 2024. Towards this objective the State Government is taking several steps to strengthen road infrastructure and enforcement. Nearly 80 per cent of road accidents are due to human error. Therefore, there is a greater need for right driving training and road safety education."