Free Treatment for Road Accident Victims Starting This Month: Govt to Cover Up to ₹1.5 Lakh
New Delhi, 4 March – (www.deccanlive.com): From March 2025, people injured in road accidents will get free treatment up to ₹1.5 lakh. This rule will apply to private hospitals as well. The scheme will be implemented across the country, and the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) will be responsible for managing it.
According to an NHAI official, the Motor Vehicles Act 1988 was already amended under Section 162 to allow this scheme. Before full implementation, a pilot project was tested in six states, including Puducherry, Assam, Haryana, and Punjab, over the past five months. The project was successful.
When an injured person is brought to a hospital—whether by the police, a common citizen, or an organization—treatment will start immediately without any payment. The presence of family members is not required. Both private and government hospitals must provide cashless treatment.
Launched by Nitin Gadkari
On March 14, 2024, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways started a pilot project for cashless treatment of road accident victims. Later, on January 7, 2025, Nitin Gadkari officially launched the scheme nationwide.
Now, if a road accident happens anywhere in India, the Indian government will cover up to ₹1.5 lakh for treatment, allowing the patient to stay in the hospital for up to seven days.
Patients Must Pay If Treatment Costs More Than ₹1.5 Lakh
If the treatment cost goes beyond ₹1.5 lakh, the patient or their family will have to pay the extra amount. If the patient needs to be transferred to a bigger hospital, the referring hospital must ensure that the new hospital admits the patient.
After the ₹1.5 lakh cashless treatment, the NHAI will handle the payment. This means the patient or their family does not need to pay up to ₹1.5 lakh. There are discussions about increasing the free treatment limit to ₹2 lakh in the future.
Why This Scheme is Important
The first hour after an accident, called the “Golden Hour,” is critical. Many people die because they do not receive treatment in time. This scheme aims to reduce such deaths by ensuring quick and free medical help.
Road Accident Deaths in India
- 2023: Around 1.5 lakh people died in road accidents.
- 2024 (January-October): 1.2 lakh deaths already recorded.
- 30-40% of accident victims die because they do not get treatment on time.
Cost of Treatment for Accident Victims
- On average, treatment costs between ₹50,000 to ₹2 lakh.
- In serious cases, costs can reach ₹5-10 lakh.
- The free treatment scheme is expected to cost the government ₹10,000 crore per year.
