The central government is working on a plan to deploy specialised ambulances capable of reaching road accident sites within 10 minutes, Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari told the Rajya Sabha.
The proposal includes a centralised emergency helpline integrated with upgraded ambulance services. In coordination with state governments, modern ambulances will be deployed to reduce response times, particularly in accident-prone areas. The Centre plans to reimburse costs under memorandums of understanding with states, subject to the ambulances meeting the stipulated response time.
The ambulances will be equipped with advanced rescue tools, including for incidents where vehicles fall into gorges, a situation where existing emergency services often lack adequate equipment.
The government has also expanded a cashless treatment scheme for road accident victims, providing medical coverage of up to ₹1.5 lakh per person per accident for the first seven days of hospitalisation. The scheme, earlier implemented on a pilot basis, has now been extended nationwide, with the Centre facilitating payments to hospitals.
To encourage public assistance, the minister said the ‘Rah-Veer’ scheme offers a cash reward of ₹25,000 to individuals who help accident victims reach hospitals.
Citing an Indian Medical Association study, Gadkari said timely medical intervention could help prevent around 50,000 road accident deaths annually. He added that the government is strengthening emergency response systems and implementing measures such as stricter vehicle safety norms, improved enforcement, and accountability for road quality, in line with the goal of reducing road traffic fatalities by 50 per cent by 2030.
