Centre proposes rules for 2-wheeler ambulances to boost emergency medical access
New Delhi, Aug 3
In a bid to strengthen emergency healthcare delivery in hard-to-reach areas, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways on Monday proposed a regulatory framework for two-wheeled road ambulances.
The draft notification seeks to formally recognise and regulate such vehicles, which can play a crucial role in providing rapid medical assistance in rural, remote and hilly regions where conventional ambulances face mobility challenges.
The proposed rules aim to address the absence of a dedicated regulatory structure for such vehicles, which are increasingly being viewed as an effective solution for delivering emergency medical services in areas with difficult terrain, narrow roads and limited access for conventional ambulances.
According to the ministry, two-wheeled road ambulances can significantly improve emergency response times and facilitate last-mile access to healthcare, particularly in rural and remote regions as well as hilly areas.
At present, these vehicles are not recognised as a separate category under the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, resulting in the absence of nationally prescribed standards related to their design, safety features, registration, type approval and fitness inspections.
To bridge this gap, the ministry has proposed the adoption of AIS-209 (Part 1):2026, a new standard that lays down construction and functional requirements for life-support two-wheeled road ambulances.
Under the draft framework, all L2-category two-wheeled road ambulances manufactured on or after October 1, 2027, will be required to comply with the provisions of AIS-209 (Part 1):2026.
Emergency warning top lights fitted on such vehicles will also need to meet the prescribed standards from the same date.
The proposed rules provide flexibility to state governments in determining the operational areas for these ambulances.
States will be empowered to decide where such vehicles can be deployed based on local requirements and geographic conditions.
The ministry has also proposed treating two-wheeled road ambulances as transport vehicles.
Consequently, they will be subject to mandatory fitness certification requirements, with the certificate of fitness to be renewed every two years.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Good initiative but safety should be the top priority. A patient with a spinal injury can't be transported on a two-wheeler. The government needs to clearly define which cases these ambulances are suitable for.
This is what we need in our rural areas! Earlier, my grandmother had to wait 2 hours for an ambulance in our village. Such bikes with a stretcher sidecar could save many lives. Great thinking by the ministry. 👏
Interesting approach. In many developing countries, motorcycle ambulances have proven successful. Hope the standards are robust enough - we don't want a B-grade solution when lives are at stake.
The two-year fitness certification every time is good but what about the rider's training? Any paramedic can't just drive at high speed through narrow streets. Need proper EMT training for these two-wheeler ambulance operators too.
Letting states decide operational areas is smart - what works in Rajasthan's plains might not work in Meghalaya's hills. But I hope the central government still sets a minimum quality standard to avoid variations across states.
A thoughtful policy move. The emphasis on AIS-209 standards shows the government is serious about this. With proper implementation, this could significantly reduce
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