About 55 pc truck drivers in India have compromised vision Report

    New Delhi, Jan 28 (PTI) About 55.1 per cent of truck drivers in India have compromised vision, while 53.3 per cent require distance vision correction and 46.7 per cent need near-vision treatment, a new report released on Tuesday revealed.
    The report prepared by IIT Delhi further said that about 44.3 per cent of drivers exhibited borderline or above body mass index (BMI), 57.4 per cent had elevated blood pressure levels, and 18.4 per cent showed borderline or high blood sugar levels.
    A total of 50,000 truck drivers in the states of Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu were screened by IIT Delhi in collaboration with the Foresight Foundation.
    According to the report, about 33.9 per cent of drivers reported moderate stress, while 2.9 per cent were found to have high-stress levels, emphasising the need for mental health support.
    Releasing the report, Union Minister of Road and Transport Nitin Gadkari said, "With 70 per cent of traffic on roads and logistics costs soaring at 14-16 per cent, India faces significant challenges in transportation".
    Gadkari further said a critical issue facing India's transportation sector is the shortage of drivers -- there are only 75 drivers for every 100 trucks.
    "We are addressing this by focusing on driver training, wellbeing and we are committed to digitisation and app integration to improve their lives," he added.
    Trucks are the backbone of India's logistic sector, connecting regions across the country and bridging many modes of transport to complete the logistics cycle.
    Truck drivers in India endure many challenges and a difficult lifestyle. Key issues include long working hours, irregular shifts, extended periods away from family and various health concerns.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)