Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Chaudhary . File Photo
By Neeraj Kumar
Patna: The Bihar Government has taken a major step to ensure prompt and effective medical care for victims of road accidents. Deputy Chief Minister-cum-Transport Minister Vijay Kumar Chaudhary announced that accident victims in the state will now be entitled to free treatment of up to ₹1.5 lakh.
He clarified that the facility has been introduced with a focus on providing better care during the ‘golden hour’, the critical period immediately after an accident. Speaking at a review meeting of the Transport Department , he emphasised the need to make departmental functioning more transparent, accountable and citizen-friendly.
During the meeting, Transport Secretary Raj Kumar briefed officials on the department’s current status and the progress of various schemes. Key issues such as road safety, driving testing, inland water transport and traffic management were discussed in detail.
It was informed that emergency trauma centres across the state will provide free treatment of up to ₹1.5 lakh to road accident victims. The government believes that immediate medical intervention can significantly reduce fatalities. The move is being seen as an important initiative to strengthen road safety in the state.
To modernise traffic management in major cities, including Patna, an Integrated Traffic Management System (ITMS) will be implemented under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model. The system is expected to help control congestion, monitor traffic violations and streamline vehicular movement. This technology-driven initiative is likely to enhance transparency and efficiency in traffic operations.
The Deputy Chief Minister also directed officials to classify road accidents into ‘minor’ and ‘major’ categories and conduct detailed analyses. A special action plan will be prepared after identifying the root causes, with a focus on reducing accident and mortality rates through effective prevention strategies.
The meeting further decided to develop a district-wise tracking module for drivers. A database of trained and registered drivers will be created, and training will be made mandatory for Heavy Motor Vehicle (HMV) drivers. Strict action will be taken against those who fail to attend training despite three notices.
Additionally, from May 1, 2026, drivers attending training programmes will receive an incentive of ₹200 along with ₹100 for refreshments.
Discussions were also held on promoting water transport as an affordable and efficient alternative. The Deputy Chief Minister directed officials to remove silt from rivers and increase waterway depth, which is expected to boost inland navigation and reduce pressure on roads.
The Transport Department has also decided to introduce a year-round driving test facility in all districts, enabling applicants to take tests at their convenience. This is expected to simplify and make the licensing process more accessible.
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