Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) organised Regional Manthan Conference on Road Safety

The Ministry of Road Transport & Highways (MoRTH) organised a Regional Manthan Conference to deliberate on strengthening road safety through e-Enforcement, integrated data systems, safer vehicles, improved emergency response and stronger district-level capacity for western states of Maharashtra, Gujarat, Goa and Union Territory of Dadra Nagar Haveli and Daman Diu (DNH & DD) at Mumbai under the Chairmanship of Hon’ble Justice A M Sapre [Retd.], Chairman Supreme Court Committee on Road Safety.

Zero Fatality District (ZFD) Initiative:
- Expanded nationally to 100 critical districts across 15 states.
- Each district averages 400+ fatalities annually.
- Framework combines engineering, enforcement, emergency care, and education to reduce deaths.

PM Rahat Scheme:
- Cashless treatment up to ₹1.5 lakh for 7 days post-accident.
- Covers all victims, regardless of insurance status.
- Integrated with eDAR (MoRTH), TMS 2.0 (NHA), and 112 emergency helpline.
- Aim: no victim lost due to delay in care during the “Golden Hour.”

Rah-Veer Programme:
- Rewards Good Samaritans who rush accident victims to hospitals.
- ₹25,000 cash award + Certificate of Appreciation.
- Legal protection ensures no proceedings without consent.
- Complements PM Rahat to form a complete emergency care chain.

Sadak Suraksha Mitra (SSM):
- Youth-led initiative via MYBharat platform.
- Volunteers act as Crash Scene Coordinators, data collectors, and awareness leaders.
- Focused on top 100 high-fatality districts.
- Builds a cadre of trained youth road safety champions.

Data-Driven Hyperlocal Interventions (DDHI):
- Evidence-based planning for district crash profiles.
- Five-stage cycle: Alignment → Capacity Building → Planning → Implementation → Impact Assessment.
- Moves from intuition to structured, data-backed action.

Outcomes of the Conference
- Reaffirmed need for coordinated action across technology, enforcement, vehicle safety, emergency care, crash investigation, and institutional capacity.
- States urged to:
- Conduct root cause analysis of fatalities.
- Prepare district-level road safety plans.
- Implement time-bound actions to achieve India’s goal of reducing road fatalities by 50% by 2030.

This conference signals a shift toward integrated, district-level strategies — combining tech, community engagement, and emergency response — rather than piecemeal efforts.