Daijiworld Media Network- New Delhi
New Delhi, Sep 5: The Central Government has issued draft Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) aimed at ensuring disability-friendly rescue, treatment and rehabilitation measures for road accident victims who sustain long-term disabilities.
The guidelines, prepared by the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD), mandate accessible ambulances, priority evacuation, trained first responders, and comprehensive rehabilitation plans. The draft was released last month for public consultation, in compliance with a Supreme Court directive of 2014 on post-trauma care and road safety.
According to the draft, all new and retrofitted road and transport infrastructure must strictly adhere to the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPWD) Act, 2016 and related Indian Roads Congress (IRC) codes. This includes tactile paving, ramps, accessible crossings, audible traffic signals, low-floor buses and priority seating. States and Union Territories will be required to conduct regular accessibility audits.
The SOP also proposes “disability-inclusive zones” in high-footfall areas such as hospitals, rehabilitation centres, and special schools, besides mandating app-based cabs and public transport to adapt to accessibility standards.
For emergency care, the draft directs that police, paramedics and good samaritans be trained to handle victims with spinal or limb injuries using proper immobilisation techniques. Ambulances will need ramps and adjustable stretchers, while trauma centres will be linked to National Institutes (NIs) and Composite Regional Centres (CRCs) for specialised rehabilitation.
The post-trauma plan includes physiotherapy, occupational therapy, vocational training and psychological counselling. Victims will also be provided with prosthetics, wheelchairs, hearing aids and other assistive devices under schemes like ADIP.
On financial support, the SOP empowers District Road Safety Committees to coordinate with State Legal Services Authorities for securing compensation under the Motor Vehicles Act. States will also be required to work with the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) to create insurance packages covering rehabilitation and assistive technologies.
To prevent misuse, the draft prescribes real-time integration of accident data with the Unique Disability ID (UDID) system, ensuring streamlined claims and verification.
The draft further suggests annual training of first responders, appointment of PwD liaison officers in state transport departments, and data-sharing across platforms like Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and Systems (CCTNS) for better monitoring.