Punjab launches hit-and-run compensation action plan on World Road Victim Day
Babushahi Bureau
Chandigarh, November 16, 2025: Marking the World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims, Punjab Transport Minister Laljit Singh Bhullar on Sunday chaired a special meeting with officials of the Lead Agency on Road Safety and civil society representatives.
The meeting formally launched the Action Plan for the Hit and Run Compensation Scheme, aimed at strengthening support for victims and families affected by road crashes.
The day, observed globally on the third Sunday of November, honours those who lost their lives in road accidents and emphasizes the need for stronger preventive measures.
State Government’s Commitment
Addressing the gathering, Minister Bhullar reaffirmed the government’s determination to reduce road fatalities and ensure timely assistance under the Hit and Run Compensation Scheme, 2022. Under the scheme:
- ₹2,00,000 compensation is provided in cases of death
- ₹50,000 is given for grievous injuries
This applies when the offending vehicle or driver remains unidentified.
Citing Punjab Traffic Police data, the Minister revealed that 3,324 hit-and-run cases from 2022 and 2023 remain pending—2,510 deaths and 1,317 grievous injuries. He assured that the state aims to clear all pending cases by March 31, 2026, providing long-delayed relief to affected families.
Training to Fast-Track Compensation
R. Venkat Ratnam, IAS (Retd.), Director General of the Lead Agency on Road Safety, announced a state-wide training and capacity-building programme across six districts—Jalandhar, Mohali, Bathinda, Tarn Taran, Firozpur, and Patiala.
Scheduled from November 25 to December 31, 2025, the sessions will train SDMs, Traffic Police officers, Civil Surgeons, and RTOs on faster documentation and uploading of case details to expedite compensation.
Training will be led by national road safety awardee Harpreet Singh, along with Avoid Accident NGO and other empanelled organizations. A dedicated checklist has been prepared to streamline file processing.
Paramjit Singh, Joint Director of the Lead Agency, said that after the training, facilitation camps will be organized with NGO partners including Mayank Foundation, Muktsar Welfare Club, and Avoid Accident. These camps will help claimants complete paperwork on the spot, ensuring smoother and quicker disbursal of compensation.