NHAI imposes Rs 10,000 fines on ambulances missing 10-minute response window

Under the new regulations, NHAI's fleet of roughly 3,000 ambulances operating on its highways must meet a ten-minute arrival target for accidents. A similar penalty applies if the victim is not taken to a medical facility within the critical first hour. Additionally, a delay of more than one minute in accepting a dispatch ticket incurs a Rs 5,000 fine, while outright refusal triggers a Rs 10,000 charge. The rules also affect about 1,000 patrol vehicles and cranes that patrol the 50,000 km of roads overseen by the agency.