A sharp rise in road accidents in the division has set alarm bells ringing, with officials flagging the worrying trend during a meeting of the Divisional Road Safety Committee chaired by divisional commissioner Vijay Vishwas Pant on Saturday.
A review of January and February 2026 data revealed that Lucknow district has witnessed a 26.02% increase in road accidents compared to the same period last year. Fatalities rose by 29.03%, while the number of injured persons jumped significantly by 71.07%, indicating the growing severity of accidents.
Officials also examined the status of decisions taken in the previous meeting held on December 30, 2025, with the latest figures pointing towards a spike in road accidents.
Focus on identifying patterns
Taking note of the spike, the commissioner directed departments to carry out a detailed analysis of accident data. The aim is to determine whether incidents are concentrated at specific locations or spread across the district.
If particular roads or stretches are found to be more accident-prone, construction agencies have been asked to identify underlying causes and take corrective measures. In case the rise is widespread, the police and transport departments have been instructed to intensify enforcement drives.
The issue of accident prone ‘black spots’ was also reviewed during the meeting. According to the press release, in 2025, 283 such locations were identified across the division. Of these, 151 fall under the Public Works Department, 100 under the National Highways Authority of India, and 32 under National Highway PWD. Officials have been directed to ensure that all black spots are rectified at the earliest.
Low response to ‘Rahveer Yojana’
The committee expressed concern over the poor implementation of the ‘Rahveer Yojana’, which is aimed at encouraging bystanders to assist accident victims during the critical golden hour.
However, a clutch of government departments verify the Good Samaritan on the basis of set parameters.
In 2025, only 11 proposals were received from the entire division, with none coming from Lucknow district. In 2026, so far, just two proposals each have been reported from Lucknow and Lakhimpur Kheri.
Under the scheme, a person who helps an injured victim reach a hospital within one hour is recognised as a ‘Rahveer’ and awarded ₹25,000. Officials were asked to promote the scheme widely and ensure hospitals have a proper system to identify and recommend such cases.
Pending hit and run cases
The progress of the hit and run compensation scheme was also assessed. In 2025, Lucknow district recorded 24 applications, of which only four were disposed of, leaving 20 pending. Across the division, 221 cases were reported, with 90 settled and 131 still awaiting resolution.
In 2026, till February, 35 cases have been reported, but only one has been resolved so far.
The commissioner directed districts to prepare lists of pending cases, especially the oldest ones, and ensure all are reviewed and disposed of within a month. Under the scheme, victims injured by unidentified vehicles are eligible for ₹50,000, while families of deceased victims can receive ₹2 lakh as compensation.
Cashless treatment scheme review
Officials also discussed the cashless treatment scheme for accident victims. Departments were asked to provide data on beneficiaries and expenditure under the initiative.
The scheme provides cashless treatment of up to ₹1.5 lakh for a maximum of seven days for victims brought to hospitals within 24 hours of an accident. It is applicable at hospitals empanelled under the Ayushman Bharat programme.
