New legal status to strengthen TMRSU's road safety mandate

Government is reinforcing its commitment to safer roads and more effective traffic management through amendments to the Road Traffic Act under the Finance Bill 2026, which will, for the first time, grant autonomous legal status to the Traffic Management and Road Safety Unit (TMRSU).

The proposed reform was at the centre of discussions at a meeting held in Port Louis and chaired by the Minister of Land Transport, Mr Mahomed Osman Cassam Mahomed, with engineers and technical officers of the TMRSU. The meeting was also attended by the Director of the Unit, Mr Harvindradas Sungker.

The meeting focused on charting the future direction of the Unit and advancing proactive measures to strengthen road safety, improve traffic management, and enhance road infrastructure across Mauritius.

The Minister pointed out that the Unit’s enhanced legal status represents a major institutional milestone and reflects Government’s commitment to establishing a more coordinated and effective approach to road safety. Under the reform announced in the Budget 2026-2027, the TMRSU will become the national lead agency responsible for developing road safety policies, standards and guidelines.

The Director of the TMRSU, the Minister said, will be empowered to develop traffic management and road safety frameworks, conduct technical assessments, including traffic modelling and road safety audits, monitor compliance with established standards, and maintain a national land transport database to support evidence-based decision-making.

The Unit will also be mandated to issue directives and clearances to key stakeholders, including the Road Development Authority and Local Authorities, to ensure greater coordination in the implementation of road safety measures, he added.

Against the backdrop of these reforms, the Minister called on engineers and technical officers to discharge their duties with diligence and professionalism, stressing that the success of the reform will depend on their commitment to delivering tangible improvements. He urged officers to respond more promptly to issues relating to road markings, road signage and other traffic management concerns, reminding them of their responsibility to ensure safer and more efficient road infrastructure for all users.

Mr Sungker highlighted ongoing efforts to review and strengthen the road safety and traffic management system through the implementation of enhanced monitoring mechanisms, while outlining the TMRSU's key priority projects. These include the treatment of hazardous road sections; the construction of bus lay-bys and bus shelters; the installation of raised tables and other traffic-calming measures; the maintenance of road markings and traffic signs; the provision of crash barriers, hard shoulders and delineators; and the installation of new traffic lights and speed cameras.

31 July 2026

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Topics: Road Safety