The Transport Department has introduced a new initiative called the "Rah-Veer" scheme to encourage citizens to quickly help road accident victims. Under this scheme, any good Samaritan who takes a seriously injured road accident victim to the nearest hospital within the "golden hour" (the critical first hour following an accident) will receive a cash reward of Rs 25,000 along with a certificate of appreciation. A single individual can claim this reward up to five times in a year.
To protect helpers from harassment, the scheme also includes legal protection for good Samaritans. To qualify for the reward, details recorded when calling emergency helpline number 112 or when admitting the victim to the hospital will be verified by the police, who will issue a police certificate. A dedicated verification committee will then make the final decision regarding the distribution of the cash reward.
Additionally, the initiative targets youth engagement through the "Sadak Suraksha Mitra" (Road Safety Friend) program, as individuals aged 18 to 45 make up 66.1% of road accident cases. Under this program, young volunteers will receive training to assist with accident-site coordination, data collection, road safety audits, and public awareness campaigns.
