Poor awareness hits Rah Veer scheme in Lko div

Lucknow: Only four proposals under the Rah Veer Scheme were received across Lucknow division till May this year, prompting divisional commissioner Vijay Vishwas Pant to flag poor public awareness and direct hospitals to systematically identify, record and process eligible Good Samaritans for benefits.Chairing the second 2026 meeting of the divisional road safety committee on Monday, Pant said hospitals should maintain a record of every person who helps road accident victims so that eligible cases under the Rah Veer Scheme are verified by the police and forwarded to the district appraisal committee without delay.Of the four proposals received this year, two were from Lucknow and two from Sitapur. In comparison, all 14 proposals received across the division in 2025 had been approved.Under the Centre’s road safety initiatives, the next of kin of victims killed in hit and run accidents are entitled to Rs 2 lakh as compensation. Road accident victims are also eligible for cashless treatment of up to Rs 1.5 lakh during the initial phase of treatment. Separately, under the Rah Veer Scheme, any person who rescues an accident victim and ensures he or she is taken to a hospital within the “golden hour” to save a life is eligible for a Rs 25,000 cash reward and a commendation certificate from govt.

The commissioner level review meeting also highlighted a worrying rise in road accidents across the division. Between Jan 1 and May 31 this year, road accidents increased by 1.9% over the corresponding period last year, while fatalities rose by 3.5 percent and injuries by 6.3%.Lakhimpur Kheri reported the highest increase in accidents at 18.7%, followed by Lucknow at 17.7%. Fatalities increased the most in Lucknow at 18.5% and Lakhimpur Kheri at 17%, while injuries surged by 38.9% in Lucknow.

Rae Bareli, Sitapur and Hardoi recorded a decline in accidents and deaths.Reviewing engineering measures, officials said that all 204 black spots identified in 2024 had been rectified. Of the 273 black spots identified in 2025, work has been completed on all NHAI, National Highway and other agency sites, while 104 PWD black spots are still pending. Pant directed officials to complete the remaining work on priority.The meeting also reviewed enforcement and compensation measures. Between Dec 2025 and Mar 2026, authorities challaned 1,593 overloaded vehicles and imposed penalties of Rs 10.70 crore, but the commissioner noted that toll plazas had stopped sharing overloading data after Mar and directed that the matter be taken up with the NHAI chairman and the transport commissioner.The review further found that only 58 driving licences had been suspended or cancelled against 1,103 road accidents reported between Jan 1 and June 15, 2026. Pant ordered a fresh verification of the data and directed districts to expedite pending hit and run compensation cases, many of which have remained unresolved for more than a year.