128 road accident deaths in 2 months, only 10 compensation claims filed in Lucknow

LUCKNOW: As per the norms, govt pays Rs 2 lakh in hit-and-run cases to a deceased victim's kin, Rs 1.5 lakh cashless treatment for an injured person in a road accident and Rs 25,000 reward along with a commendation card for those who rescue an accident victim and rush him/her to a hospital within the ‘golden hour' to save the life.

However, not many seem to be aware of the compensation amount for road accident victims.

Or what else would explain only 10 applications for hit-and-run death compensation while the district recorded 128 deaths and 321 injured in just two months.

Also, only two were identified as ‘Good Samaritans' under the Rah-Veer scheme, a fact that came to light during a review meeting of the commissioner-level road safety committee on Saturday.

Under the Lucknow divisional commissioner jurisdiction, Lucknow district recorded 342 road accidents in Jan and Feb of the current calendar year, which was 26.2% more in comparison to 271 in the same months of 2025.

Last year in Jan and Feb, 99 victims died in road accidents and 187 were injured. Out of the total 99 deaths, only 24 applications were received for hit-and-run death compensation, out of which four were approved and 20 were pending. While there was not a single person who could be identified for the Rah-Veer scheme.

Speaking to TOI, Prabhat Pandey, the RTO enforcement, Lucknow, said, "During the quarterly review in the commissioner-level road safety committee meeting, it was found that among six districts, Lucknow's road accident, casualties and injured victims figure was higher than all—26.2%, 29.3% and 71.7% respectively in comparison to last year."

During the review, it was found that 75 accident-prone blackspots were identified in Lucknow district, including 59 by PWD, 14 by NHAI, and one each by NH-PWD and UPIEDA. In 2024, the departments recorded 60 blackspots and managed to rectify 28 in the state capital.

"While NHAI and PWD are steadily progressing in rectifying the blackspots, a concern was raised on the rising death toll, which could be brought down with effective implementation of road safety measures--particularly timely medical assistance, which could be improved by promoting cashless treatment and the Rah-Veer scheme," said an official.

Rolled out in 2025 and launched in Feb 2026, the PM-RAHAT scheme (road accident victim's hospitalisation and assured treatment) provides Rs 1.5 lakh cashless treatment of up to a maximum of seven days' treatment in govt-empanelled hospitals.

Under the Rah-Veer scheme, a citizen is awarded Rs 25,000 for saving the lives of road accident victims within a golden hour.