SRINAGAR: The Union Government has introduced a revised nationwide cashless treatment scheme for road accident victims, offering medical coverage of up to Rs 1.5 lakh for each case and mandating stabilisation care within the crucial golden hour. The scheme, notified in May 2025 under the Motor Vehicles Act, is designed to strengthen emergency response systems and reduce fatalities.
According to the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, the Cashless Treatment for Road Accident Victims Scheme, 2025 provides treatment cover for up to seven days following an accident involving a motor vehicle. Victims must receive stabilisation care for up to 24 hours in non-life-threatening cases and up to 48 hours in life-threatening situations at designated hospitals. The scheme supersedes all other Central and State-level accident treatment schemes.
The initiative integrates two existing digital platforms, the electronic Detailed Accident Report system used by police and the National Health Authority’s Transaction Management System for hospitals. Reimbursements are processed through the Motor Vehicle Accident Fund, financed by insurance contributions in cases involving insured vehicles and via budgetary support for other cases.
Officials said the strengthened system is expected to speed up treatment during the golden hour. The scheme is linked with emergency helpline 112 for rapid ambulance dispatch and early alerts to police and district authorities. All hospitals are required to provide initial stabilisation treatment, while non-designated hospitals can transfer patients to designated facilities under a referral mechanism to ensure continuity of care.
The Government is also expanding the network of designated hospitals. Facilities empanelled under the national health insurance scheme AB PM-JAY that meet the prescribed guidelines are automatically included. States and Union Territories have been asked to add more hospitals, particularly around accident-prone stretches.
To raise awareness, the Centre has launched the Sadak Suraksha Abhiyaan and is leveraging the extensive AB PM-JAY hospital network to improve accessibility. The Ministry said the scheme aligns with its broader road safety strategy focused on education, engineering, enforcement and emergency care, citing long-standing recommendations from the Supreme Court and Law Commission that timely medical attention can prevent up to half of road accident deaths.
