New Delhi, Dec 17 (IANS) Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari on Wednesday informed the Rajya Sabha about the expansion of a cashless treatment programme for road accident victims.

Victims will be entitled to cashless medical care of up to Rs 1.5 lakh per person per accident for the initial seven days of hospitalisation, with the government facilitating payments to remove financial barriers to immediate treatment. He said this while replying to a question.

The scheme, piloted in select regions and rolled out nationwide, aims to ensure prompt care without upfront costs with the help of state governments. Also, he announced that the government is working on a model so that specialised ambulances can reach the accident spot in ten minutes.

The minister outlined plans for a centralised emergency helpline integrated with upgraded ambulance services.

Through agreements with states, modern ambulances will be deployed to reach accident sites faster, targeting response times as low as 10 minutes in key areas, he said.

Under the ‘Rah-Veer’ scheme, launched earlier in 2025, good Samaritans who rush accident victims to hospitals will be honoured with the title ‘Rahaveer’ and a cash reward of Rs 25,000 (increased from the previous Rs 5,000), the minister informed the House.

This initiative seeks to incentivise bystander intervention during the critical ‘golden hour’ after an accident.

Also, the minister said specialised ambulances will have special tools in case the vehicle falls into a gorge, and para-medical staff remain helpless in the absence of such tools.

The Central government will sign MoUs for such specialised ambulances and will reimburse the expenses, provided the ambulance arrives in ten minutes.

The Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways informed the Rajya Sabha that timely medical intervention could prevent nearly 50,000 road accident deaths each year in India, citing a study by the Indian Medical Association (IMA).

To tackle delays in emergency care — a key factor in many fatalities — the minister announced enhancements to existing schemes aimed at encouraging public participation and ensuring immediate treatment.

Gadkari described road safety as a “very serious issue” and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to the global target of reducing road traffic deaths and injuries by 50 per cent by 2030, as per the Stockholm Declaration. Complementary measures include stricter vehicle safety standards (such as star ratings), enhanced enforcement, and holding contractors accountable for road quality.

–IANS

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