Lucknow: In a decisive move to reduce road accident fatalities and ensure timely assistance to victims, the Uttar Pradesh government under the guidance of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is actively promoting the ‘Sadak Suraksha Mitra’ programme and the ‘Rahveer’ scheme across the state. Following the Chief Minister’s directions, implementation of both initiatives has been intensified in all districts to strengthen road safety awareness and emergency response mechanisms.
The core objective of these schemes is twofold—to reduce the number of road accidents through awareness and to ensure immediate medical assistance to accident victims, particularly during the critical golden hour, the first hour after an accident when timely treatment can save lives. District Road Safety Committees have been entrusted with monitoring and execution, turning road safety into a people’s movement.
Currently, the Sadak Suraksha Mitra programme is active in 28 districts of Uttar Pradesh. The centrally sponsored initiative focuses on involving youth as key stakeholders in road safety campaigns. So far, 423 young volunteers have registered on the ‘My Bharat’ portal and are undergoing structured training. The first training camp was organised by the State Road Safety Foundation in Gautam Buddh Nagar (Noida), where volunteers were trained in traffic rules, accident management and public awareness strategies.
A budget of Rs 14 lakh has been approved for the programme, with Rs 50,000 allocated to each of the 28 districts. The funds will be utilised for training sessions, awareness drives and local-level activities. Officials believe that effective implementation will not only curb accidents but also foster a sense of social responsibility among the youth.
Complementing this effort is the Rahveer scheme, launched by the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, which focuses on immediate assistance to accident victims. Under the scheme, any citizen who ensures that an accident victim is taken to a hospital within the golden hour is awarded Rs 25,000. The initiative is aimed at encouraging bystanders to step forward without fear and help save lives.
In Uttar Pradesh, five Rahveers have already been selected from Basti, Kaushambi, Sitapur, Aligarh and Kasganj districts. In each district, the Assistant Regional Transport Officer (ARTO) has been appointed as the nodal officer for the scheme to ensure smooth coordination and prompt recognition of helpers.
With one of the country’s largest highway networks, Uttar Pradesh faces unique road safety challenges. Officials say these initiatives are giving road safety a new direction in the state. The Transport Department plans to organise more training camps in the coming months and has appealed to citizens, especially youth, to actively participate and contribute towards making Uttar Pradesh’s roads safer.
