NHAI tightens ambulance response rules

Fast emergency response can make a crucial difference when road accidents occur on busy highways.

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is now tightening response standards to reduce delays and improve care for accident victims.

Under the new guidelines, ambulances must reach an accident site within 10 minutes after accepting a service ticket.

This applies to incidents located within a 10-km radius. For longer distances, the permitted response time will increase proportionately. GPS records and the NHAI Care System dashboard will monitor compliance.

Ambulances must also transport victims to the nearest hospital within one hour of accepting a ticket.

Failing to meet either deadline could result in a ₹10,000 penalty for each incident. Similarly, rejecting an emergency ticket without valid grounds will attract a ₹10,000 penalty.

The rules also cover the condition and readiness of emergency vehicles. Contractors must provide the required equipment, medicines and staff. Any shortfall could lead to another ₹10,000 penalty.

NHAI is using technology to enforce these service benchmarks. AIS-140 compliant GPS devices are installed on ambulances, cranes and highway patrol vehicles.

Each unit also has a dedicated Android-based Mobile Data Terminal with an IoT SIM. These systems will help authorities track vehicle movements and verify response times.

The measures apply across a large emergency network. NHAI currently has about 3,000 ambulances and 1,000 patrolling vehicles and cranes covering nearly 50,000 km of national highways. The 1033 helpline also provides a common emergency contact across the network.

NHAI said delayed accident response has been highlighted by the Supreme Court Committee on Road Safety and a CAG performance audit.

Therefore, project directors and regional officers have been instructed to enforce the new standards strictly.

The revised framework aims to make highway emergency services faster, measurable and more accountable.

With GPS tracking and financial penalties, NHAI expects service providers to respond without avoidable delays.

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