PM-RAHAT cashless scheme treats 25,000 road crash victims

Nearly 25,000 road crash victims have been treated under the PM-RAHAT cashless scheme in the past eight months, with hospitals reimbursed in around 13,000 cases, a top road transport ministry official said on Tuesday. Additional secretary Mahmood Ahmed told a roundtable that the scheme, which mandates free treatment up to Rs 1.5 lakh per victim for seven days, has saved lives. Studies show 50% of crash deaths can be prevented with quick medical care.

Ahmed stressed the need for electronic enforcement of traffic rules, saying deterrence requires certainty of punishment. Experts and officials noted India's improving vehicle safety cannot substitute for speed control on urban roads, where pedestrians and two-wheeler riders are exposed to severe crashes. National Road Safety Board chairman Nitin Gokarn said congested areas lack pedestrian facilities and have wrong-side driving and poor lighting.

Experts cited examples such as Paris, where 89% of urban roads have speed limits of 30 kmph or less. IIT Kharagpur professor Bhargab Maitra said speed management is doable in the short term through engineering, enforcement, and context-based regulation that prioritises vulnerable users.