Tripura Transport Minister Sushanta Chowdhury on Tuesday said that the state has witnessed a decline of nearly 13 per cent in road accidents despite the number of registered vehicles increasing from around 4 lakh to 8 lakh over the years.

The minister said the government has introduced several measures to improve road safety, strengthen emergency response systems, and ensure timely medical assistance for accident victims.

Speaking at a workshop on the Motor Vehicles Act and related regulations held at Pragya Bhavan in Agartala, Chowdhury highlighted the launch of the ‘PM Rahat’ scheme, which has been developed by upgrading the earlier ‘Good Samaritan’ policy. Under the scheme, individuals who help rescue road accident victims and take them to hospitals will receive a reward of Rs 25,000 from the Transport Department. The scheme also provides immediate cashless medical treatment facilities for injured victims.

The workshop, titled ‘The Motor Vehicles Act and Associated Rules’, focused on strengthening road safety mechanisms and improving the implementation of traffic laws. Discussions covered various issues, including road safety strategies, the e-Challan system, traffic management, enforcement practices, and other legal provisions under the Motor Vehicles Act.

Chowdhury assured that people assisting accident victims under the PM Rahat scheme would not be subjected to police questioning or face any legal difficulties.

He further informed that 16 advanced life-saving ambulances and modern traffic interceptor vehicles have been deployed across major highways and accident-prone locations in the state to ensure faster emergency response.

The minister added that awareness programmes would soon be conducted across districts to spread information about the PM Rahat scheme, with participation from district administrations, police officials, and Panchayati Raj representatives.

Meanwhile, Tripura Police IGP Manchak Ippar stated that around 70,000 driving licences have been seized in the state during the past three years due to traffic violations, while thousands of others have been temporarily suspended.

He said stricter action would continue against serious offenders, including licence confiscation and permanent cancellation of vehicle registrations and driving licences in deserving cases.

The IGP added that officials responsible for enforcing these measures are being trained on legal procedures and relevant provisions to ensure effective implementation.

The workshop was attended by senior officials, including Additional Secretary of the Transport Department Subrata Chowdhury, Joint Secretary Maitree Debnath, and other representatives from the department and administration.