Safer Roads And Healthier Drivers: Project Abhay Boosts Vision, Health And Social Security For Truck Drivers

~ Project Abhay enhances health and wellness of 50,000 Indian truck drivers thereby improving the road safety ~

Project Abhay, a pioneering initiative by the Centre for Rural Development & Technology (CRDT), IIT Delhi, in collaboration with Foresight Foundation and supported by the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways (MoRTH), has achieved remarkable success in enhancing the health, vision, and safety of India's truck drivers. The findings were presented by Prof. Vivek Kumar, CRDT, IIT Delhi, in the esteemed presence of Shri Nitin Gadkari, Hon'ble Union Minister for Road Transport & Highways & Prof. Rangan Banerjee, Director, IIT Delhi during culmination ceremony today at IIT Delhi.

Launched in March 2024, Project Abhay has successfully screened over 50,000 truck drivers across Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu, addressing critical health and vision challenges faced by this indispensable yet underserved workforce.

Unveiling the report, Shri Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister of Road and Transport said, “Project Abhay is not just about improving road safety; it’s about improving driver's lives. We are committed to uplifting the quality of life of truck drivers who majorly belong to economically and socially backward communities, which is crucial to enhancing India’s Domestic Happiness Index. With 70% of traffic on roads and logistics costs soaring at 14-16%, India faces significant challenges in transportation. If we want to grow exports and enhance national efficiency, we must cut these costs.”

He also added, “A critical issue is the shortage of drivers—there are only 75 drivers for every 100 trucks. We’re addressing this by focusing on driver training, wellbeing and we are committed to digitization and app integration to improve their lives. With 5 lakh accidents and 1.80 lakh deaths annually, the integration of advanced technologies like automatic emergency braking, electronic stability control and prioritizing human behaviour training, particularly from a young age, will be key in reducing fatalities. With the support of IIT research, we are also exploring innovative solutions to reduce costs and improve the sector’s efficiency. Through these integrated efforts and initiative like Project Abhay, we are laying the foundation for safer roads and more efficient & equitable logistics system.”

According to the report, 55.1% of truck drivers suffer from compromised vision, with 53.3% requiring distance vision correction and 46.7% needing near-vision correction. Remarkably, the initiative achieved a vision correction rate of 93.7%, with spectacles provided on-site at Abhay Health Camps.

Prof. Vivek Kumar, Head of CRDT at IIT Delhi, expressed pride in the project’s outcomes. “Project Abhay’s holistic approach, integrating vision care, behavioral training, and technology, has yielded remarkable results. With more than 93% of vision issues corrected during the camps, we have directly enhanced road safety and driver well-being. Behavioral workshops promoting road ethics further amplify this impact,” he said.

Beyond vision care, health screenings revealed widespread concerns: 44.3% of drivers had high or borderline BMI, 57.4% showed elevated blood pressure, and 33.9% reported moderate stress. Social security coverage surged from 51.5% to 86.16%, extending benefits to over 62,700 family members with a total cumulative value of Rs 502 crore.

The Abhay App played a pivotal role in enabling real-time data collection, streamlining camp operations, and ensuring transparency. Live dashboards provided actionable insights, ensuring immediate corrective measures during implementation.

“India’s logistics backbone depends on its truck drivers & presently there is a huge shortage of truck drivers which is affecting the whole sector.  Project Abhay lays a strong foundation for changing the perception about the profession by improving driver’s lives which will help in joining new people to truck driving profession” said Praveen Arya, President of Foresight Foundation.

This transformative initiative blends technology, social impact, wellness and behavioral training to empower India’s truck drivers—key players in driving the nation’s economic vision for 2047.