Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari on Tuesday announced plans for a scheme that will provide road accident victims with cashless medical treatment up to Rs 1.5 lakh each, for a maximum period of seven days.

The scheme will be implemented across the country by March. It follows on the heels of a successful pilot programme in Assam, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh and Puducherry – wherein 6,840 people successfully availed of the scheme.

Ministry officials said that the scheme would be developed based on the insights gleaned from the pilot studies, the Hindustan Times reported.

Gadkari said that the government was also reviewing labour laws to establish a policy on working hours for commercial drivers to prevent fatigue-related crashes, similar to flying rules for pilots.

He added that the government was working to open 1,250 new driving schools across the country, considering that India has a shortage of 22 lakh skilled drivers.

The Union transport minister was addressing a press conference on Tuesday, at the end of a two-day meeting of transport ministers, secretaries and commissioners of states and Union Territories.

Gadkari also spoke about introducing mandatory measures like “electronic stability control, emergency braking system and driver drowsiness audio-alert mechanism” in order to prevent accidents involving commercial vehicles, The New Indian Express reported.

The minister also said that the government would soon introduce a safety star rating system for e-rickshaws.