Chandigarh road accident victims to get ₹1.5 lakh free treatment under PM RAHAT scheme

Road accident victims in Chandigarh will now get free treatment of up to ₹1.5 lakh for the first seven days after an accident. The benefit will be available in both government and selected private hospitals. The step has been taken to ensure that injured people do not lose precious time due to lack of money.

This facility is part of the Centre’s Prime Minister’s Road Accident Victim Hospitalisation and Assured Treatment scheme, also known as PM RAHAT. The scheme was launched in February to improve emergency medical support across the country.

The scheme has already started at Government Multi-Specialty Hospital (GMSH), Sector 16. It will soon be implemented in all government hospitals in the city. Private hospitals, especially those with trauma care units, are also being added to the list.

Officials said the aim is to protect the “golden hour” after an accident. Doctors explain that the first hour after a serious accident is very important. Quick medical care during this time can save lives. Many patients die because they reach the hospital late or because treatment is delayed due to financial worries.

Under the scheme, all road accident victims are eligible. It does not matter where the victim comes from. Even if a person is not a resident of Chandigarh, they can still get treatment under this plan if the accident happens in the city.

How the scheme works

The scheme is being run with the help of the police and the health department. When the police receive information about a road accident, they will upload the details on the e-Detailed Accident Report (e-DAR) portal. This portal has been developed by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.

After the details are uploaded, the system will generate a victim ID. This ID will help hospitals track the case and provide treatment without delay. The e-DAR portal is linked with the National Health Authority’s Transaction Management System (TMS) 2.0.

When the patient reaches the hospital, the hospital will create a patient ID on TMS. The system will also handle the payment claims for treatment. The process is similar to the system used in the Ayushman Bharat scheme.

This digital process is expected to reduce paperwork and speed up treatment approval. To make sure that the portal runs smoothly at all hours, the health department plans to hire two additional data entry operators. They will work in three shifts to ensure round-the-clock support.

Doctors have welcomed the move. They say it will improve survival rates, especially for serious injuries involving heavy blood loss. Faster admission and treatment can make a big difference in such cases.

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Pilot project and impact

Before launching the full scheme, officials ran a one-year pilot project in Chandigarh from August 2024 to September 2025. During this period, 32 accident cases were registered under the trial plan. Treatment costs in some cases went up to ₹9 lakh.

Ten private hospitals with trauma facilities took part in the pilot project. Officials studied how the system worked and identified areas for improvement. After the successful trial, the government decided to roll out the scheme fully.

At present, GMSH-16 receives at least one road accident case every day in its emergency department. The Advanced Trauma Centre at PGI admits around 50 patients daily. Most of them are road accident victims, along with cases of falls and machine-related injuries.

Police data shows that road accidents remain a serious concern in Chandigarh. In the first two months of this year alone, 23 people have died in road accidents. Last year, the total number of road accident deaths was 81. These figures show the urgent need for faster and better emergency care.

Officials believe that the scheme will also encourage bystanders to help accident victims. Often, people hesitate to take injured persons to hospitals because they worry about medical costs. With cashless treatment now available, such fears may reduce.

The government hopes that PM RAHAT will create a more responsive emergency system. By linking police, hospitals, and digital platforms, the scheme aims to make treatment quick and simple.

In the coming weeks, meetings will be held with more private hospitals to increase coverage. Authorities want to ensure that trauma care is available in different parts of the city.

The new plan sends a strong message that saving lives is the top priority. By removing financial barriers during the most critical hours, Chandigarh hopes to reduce deaths and serious complications from road accidents.

If implemented properly, this model could serve as an example for other cities in India. For now, accident victims in Chandigarh can feel assured that immediate medical care will not be delayed because of money.