IRF Offers Support to MoRTH to Strengthen India’s Road Safety Audit Certification Framework

New Delhi December 1, 2025 The International Road Federation (IRF), Geneva based global road safety body working worldwide for better and safer roads  along with its India Chapter (IRF-IC), has formally proposed a partnership with the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways (MoRTH) to advance the national framework for Road Safety Audit Certification in India. The proposal comes in response to MoRTH’s communication dated 24 October 2025 seeking to enhance professional standards in road safety auditing.

 

In his communication to the Ministry, Mr. K.K. Kapila, President (Emeritus), IRF, and Founder President, IRF-IC, highlighted the urgent national imperative for building a highly skilled cadre of road safety auditors. He noted that road crashes continue to claim thousands of lives each year and inflict substantial economic loss, underscoring the critical need for internationally aligned capacity building.

Global International Registry Program Expanded to India

 

The IRF’s International Registry Program, an initiative established to develop, recognize, and accredit competent Road Safety Auditors worldwide, forms the cornerstone of this proposal. The program has already been successfully implemented in several countries including the United Kingdom, Australia, Tanzania, Turkey, and India, creating a unified global standard for road safety auditing.

 

In India, the program was formally launched in October 2025, supported by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) in New Delhi and the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) in Mumbai. Over 40 engineers underwent intensive theoretical and practical assessments based on internationally approved norms and were awarded the Certification of Competence. These certified professionals will initially participate in international audits as Observers, progressing to Team Members and eventually Team Leaders as they gain field experience.

 

The International Registry Program is led by Eur Ing. Miguel-Angel Serrano Santos, a UK-based Chartered Engineer (CEng, FICE, FIHE, FCIHT) and globally respected road safety expert with more than 30 years of experience across Europe, Asia, and Africa. His evidence-based methodology, analytical training approach, and extensive involvement in World Bank, ADB, and UN road safety initiatives have made the program one of the most credible international certifications available today.

 

IRF-IC emphasised that a formal collaboration with MoRTH would significantly elevate the quality and consistency of road safety audits across the country. By empanelling and authorizing IRF-IC to conduct the certification program nationally, India would benefit from:

 

 

The Federation reiterated that then joint  program will play an instrumental role in strengthening India's road safety ecosystem and driving measurable progress towards national crash reduction targets.

 

The Federation has requested MoRTH to provide an opportunity to undertake nationwide capacity building by empanelling IRF-IC for conducting the Road Safety