New Delhi: To address rising road fatalities in India, Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari announced that the pilot scheme offering cashless treatment of up to Rs. 1.5 lakh for road accident survivors will expand nationwide by March 2025.

He cited a Ministry report stating that 33,000 people were killed by trucks impacting vehicles in 2022. The Minister was speaking after the Ministry held workshops and meetings with Transport Secretaries and Commissioners of all States for two days.

The initiative, currently active in six States and Union Territories, has benefited 6,840 people so far. Gadkari expressed hope that the scheme could save 50,000 lives annually by ensuring treatment during the critical golden hour.

The Union Minister also unveiled mandatory tech upgrades for buses and trucks, including audio warning systems to alert drivers falling asleep, electronic stability control to improve steering control and automatic emergency braking to reduce accident severity.

Further, Aadhaar-based systems to cap commercial driving hours at eight per day are being explored. Other announcements include a good Samaritan reward increase where the current Rs. 5,000 reward for assisting accident victims will be raised.

Air ambulance support

 Helipads near highways and hospitals with air ambulance facilities will be developed in collaboration with the Ministry of Civil Aviation. In addition, the skilled driver shortage will be addressed. To address the 22 lakh deficit in skilled drivers, 1,250 new driving training centres will be established.

Emission standards and vehicle safety

Gadkari also revealed plans to introduce Bharat Stage 7 (BS7) emission norms, finalise standards for e-rickshaws and implement a carbon credit-like system under the vehicle scrappage policy.

With over 1.72 lakh road fatalities in 2023 and significant losses linked to driver shortages and unregulated vehicles, these measures aim to significantly improve road safety and transportation efficiency across the nation.