The central transport and communication laws of India govern every mode of movement — road, rail, sea and air — from the Motor Vehicles Act and the Railways Act to the 2024 aircraft law and the 2025 recast of the Merchant Shipping Act.
Transport is a shared field in which the central statutes collected here set the national framework. Two of the oldest colonial statutes on the books — the Indian Ports Act of 1908 and the Indian Telegraph Act of 1885 — still operate, while Parliament has recently recast whole regimes: the Bharatiya Vayuyan Adhiniyam replaced the Aircraft Act of 1934, the Major Port Authorities Act replaced the Major Port Trusts Act of 1963, and a new Merchant Shipping Act was passed in 2025.
This page lists the principal central statutes, what each covers, and links to authoritative texts. All acts here are central laws enacted by Parliament — state-enacted laws are covered separately.
Contents
Road, Rail, Sea and Air
| Act | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 (59 of 1988) | Registration and licensing, road-safety duties, third-party insurance and the claims tribunals — significantly overhauled by the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act, 2019. |
| Railways Act, 1989 (34 of 1989) | Railway administration, construction and maintenance of railways, carriage of passengers and goods, and the Railway Claims Tribunal. |
| Bharatiya Vayuyan Adhiniyam, 2024 (16 of 2024) | The new aircraft law: registration of aircraft, airworthiness, licensing of aviation personnel and safety oversight. It replaced the Aircraft Act, 1934. |
| Merchant Shipping Act, 2025 (24 of 2025) | Registration of Indian ships, crews, safety, wreck and liability — the recast of the 1958 Act. It replaced the Merchant Shipping Act, 1958. |
Carriage, Ports and Highways
| Act | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Carriage by Road Act, 2007 (41 of 2007) | Registration of common carriers by road and their liability for goods. It replaced the Carriers Act, 1865. |
| Carriage by Air Act, 1972 (69 of 1972) | Carriers’ liability to passengers, baggage and cargo carried by air under the international rules incorporated into Indian law. |
| Indian Ports Act, 1908 (15 of 1908) | The foundational ports statute: port authorities, safety of navigation and port dues. |
| Major Port Authorities Act, 2021 (1 of 2021) | The new governance law for major ports — boards of port authorities with operational autonomy. It replaced the Major Port Trusts Act, 1963. |
| National Highways Act, 1956 (48 of 1956) | Declaration and development of national highways, and the land-acquisition powers for them. |
| Indian Telegraph Act, 1885 (13 of 1885) | Powers over telegraph and telephone lines — the colonial-era foundation of telecom regulation, set to be superseded as the Telecommunications Act, 2023 is brought into force. |
For compensation after road or rail accidents, see our central criminal laws library; for infrastructure projects and their land needs, the central land and property laws library.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which law governs compensation for a road accident?
The Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 — a hit-and-run or third-party claim goes to the Motor Accident Claims Tribunal, funded by the compulsory insurance the Act requires.
What replaced the Aircraft Act, 1934?
The Bharatiya Vayuyan Adhiniyam, 2024, which carries forward registration, airworthiness and licensing rules in modern form.
Who controls the major ports?
Boards of port authorities under the Major Port Authorities Act, 2021, which replaced the older port-trust structure.
This page is a general library guide published for the Knowledge Centre and is not legal advice. For advice on a specific matter, please contact the firm.