CHANDIGARH: If all goes according to the plan of the administration, road accident victims will be provided with cashless treatment at registered private hospitals and nursing homes in the city. The administration plans to replicate the scheme introduced by the Delhi government earlier this year.All victims of road accidents which occur in Chandigarh will be eligible for cashless treatment, irrespective of the domicile status. Registered hospitals and nursing homes will not refuse treatment to victims and they will have to inform the police after administering first-aid and treatment required to save the victim's life. Expenditure incurred on treatment will be reimbursed later.The proposal of the UT SSP, (traffic) will be discussed in the road safety committee meeting scheduled for next week. UT SSP (traffic) Shashank Anand said the proposal will be taken up at the meeting and modalities will be framed after getting approval.Describing it as the need of the hour, expert on road safety and sustainable transport, Navdeep Asija, who is also traffic advisor to the government of Punjab said, "The first 48 hours are crucial for accident victims. Immediate cashless treatment will help save many lives."The city has the highest vehicle density in the country. High number of vehicles has made roads unsafe for cyclists and pedestrians. In Chandigarh, there has been a rise in the number of deaths in road accidents. A total of 700 people died in road accidents over the last five years. As many as 61 people have been killed so far this year. In 2017, 110 people were killed, while 150 died in 2016.After receiving approval from the competent authority, Chandigarh administration will frame rules for implementation of the scheme on the pattern of Delhi. Registered hospitals and nursing homes will have to provide cashless treatment to road accident victims. Expenditure incurred on the treatment of victims will be reimbursed.Separate lane for ambulanceThe urban planning department has also proposed the creation of a separate lane for ambulances along V-2 roads (arterial roads). Due to non-availability of a separate lane, ambulances can be commonly spotted stuck in traffic on Madhya Marg.

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