Rs 735-crore motor accident claims pending in Punjab

Police delays are holding up Rs 735-crore insurance claims of road accident victims. Of this, over Rs 700 crore relates to fatal accidents between 2022 and 2024, and Rs 35 crore to those suffering grievous injuries in such cases.

Sources in the Transport Department said the pendency was due to delays on part of the police in submitting accident details to Motor Accident Claims Tribunals (MACTs). During review meetings, concerns were repeatedly expressed on lackadaisical attitude of the police in handling, investigating and submitting details in such cases within the stipulated time.

A top government functionary said police officials had been time and again told to ensure strict implementation of the guidelines, but to no avail. The data on road accident-related FIRs (2024) showed that 3,148 persons were killed and 1,918 grievously injured in 4,394 cases. Of these, 536 cases were forwarded to the claims tribunals, accounting for only 8 per cent of the total count. In 2023, 3,231 persons were killed and 2,247 grievously injured in 4,684 cases. But only 692 (9.69 per cent) cases were forwarded to the claim tribunals. In 2022, only 671 of the total 4,724 cases were forwarded to the tribunals.

The Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has flagged discrepancies on part of Punjab in uploading data on Detailed Accident Report (e-DAR) system. The police is said to be facing problem in integrating its digital Police Citizen Services Under Crime and Criminal Tracking Network & Systems with e-DAR.