At a district-level road safety programme in Agartala, Transport Minister Sushanta Chowdhury urged elected representatives and citizens to promote accident-response awareness, citing 413 road accidents recorded in Tripura up to August 2026 and stressing the need for faster public intervention to save lives.
Key Takeaways
- Transport Minister Sushanta Chowdhury urged greater public participation in road safety awareness programmes.
- He said 413 road accidents were recorded up to August 2026, while seven people received Rah-Veer awards this year.
- The minister highlighted the ₹25,000 Rah-Veer incentive and cashless treatment support under PM RAHAT for accident victims.
Tripura Transport Minister Sushanta Chowdhury has called for a wider public movement to generate mass awareness on road safety, stressing that accident prevention requires awareness and responsible behaviour along with enforcement of traffic laws.
Chowdhury appealed while attending a district-level road safety awareness and sensitisation programme organised jointly by the West Tripura district administration and the Transport Department at the State Guest House Sonar Tari.
The minister formally inaugurated the programme by lighting the ceremonial lamp.
He said every life on the road is valuable. Drivers and pedestrians must therefore act with greater responsibility and sensitivity.
Road Safety Needs Public Participation
According to Chowdhury, road safety cannot depend only on enforcement. Public awareness, responsibility and mutual empathy must become an integral part of road use.
He urged people to follow traffic rules, maintain prescribed speed limits and use helmets and seat belts. He also stressed that people must not drive under the influence of intoxicants.
Responsible behaviour towards pedestrians is equally important, he said.
The minister called for collective action to build safer roads. He said an aware driver and a responsible pedestrian can together contribute to a safer road environment.
413 Accidents Recorded Up to August
Chowdhury highlighted the need to expand public awareness while referring to the Rah-Veer initiative.
He said 11 people received assistance or awards under the initiative in 2025. In 2026, seven people have so far received the award.
However, he pointed to the difference between the number of accidents and the number of people coming forward to assist victims.
According to the figures cited by the minister, 413 road accidents occurred between January and August 2026. Against this figure, only seven people received the Rah-Veer award during the year so far.
Chowdhury said this gap shows the need for greater public and mass awareness.
Elected Representatives Asked to Lead Campaign
The minister urged people involved in public and political life to take road safety initiatives to the grassroots.
He specifically appealed to Panchayat Samiti chairpersons, Zilla Parishad members and chairpersons and vice-chairpersons of Urban Local Bodies.
He asked them to organise awareness activities in their respective Panchayats and ULB areas. They should also involve councillors and share the lessons learned from the technical sessions with local residents.
Chowdhury said local representatives could play an important role in informing people about how to respond when they encounter an accident victim.
He stressed that timely assistance and transportation to a hospital can help save lives.
₹25,000 Rah-Veer Reward for Rescuers
The minister also highlighted the financial incentive available under the Rah-Veer initiative.
He said a person who helps an accident victim and takes the victim to a hospital can receive a cash reward of ₹25,000.
Chowdhury said many people remain unaware of the provision. He urged public representatives to help spread information about it.
The minister also recalled the earlier Good Samaritan framework, saying people had often hesitated to help accident victims because of fears about police procedures.
Fear of Legal Harassment Should Not Delay Help
Chowdhury said people sometimes feared that taking an accident victim to a hospital could draw them into a police case.
He said such concerns should not stop people from helping injured persons.
Referring to Supreme Court directions, the minister said people who rescue accident victims should not face harassment for providing assistance.
He stressed the importance of taking victims to the nearest hospital without delay.
PM RAHAT Offers Cashless Treatment
Chowdhury also spoke about PM RAHAT, or the Prime Minister Road Accident Victim and Assured Treatment Scheme.
He said the recently introduced scheme provides cashless treatment for eligible road accident victims.
According to the minister, the scheme provides treatment support of up to ₹1.5 lakh. If treatment costs ₹50,000, that amount can be covered. If the cost rises to ₹2 lakh, the maximum support remains ₹1.5 lakh, with the remaining amount to be borne separately.
Chowdhury urged public representatives to make people aware of both Rah-Veer and PM RAHAT so that accident victims and those who help them can access the available benefits.
He said faster public response, greater awareness and responsible road use can strengthen Tripura’s road safety efforts.
