Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari on Monday, June 8, 2026, launched the Rapido and MoRTH Road Safety Partnership for the RahVeer Scheme under the Sadak Suraksha Abhiyan in New Delhi. The initiative brings together the central government and the ride-hailing platform Rapido in a formal collaboration aimed at reducing road fatalities on national highways. The scheme focuses on strengthening emergency response, promoting responsible driving, and expanding citizen participation in road safety.

Context

Gadkari announced the launch through a post on X, describing the initiative as a 'collaborative initiative' that 'aims to strengthen emergency response systems, promote responsible driving practices, and enhance citizen participation in saving lives on National Highways.' The scheme is being positioned under the broader Sadak Suraksha Abhiyan 2026 umbrella, which carries the campaign tagline Parvah Se Kartavya Tak (From Concern to Duty). The hashtag KartavyaKaydaKavachKranti signals a four-pillar framing around duty, law, protection, and transformation.

The RahVeer Scheme is a new programme specifically created under the Rapido-MoRTH partnership. While the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) serves as the nodal policy body, Rapido — one of India's largest two-wheeler and cab ride-hailing platforms — brings a network of drivers and on-ground presence across urban and highway corridors.

Policy Backdrop

India's road safety legislative framework was significantly reinforced by the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act, 2019, which introduced steeper penalties, enhanced enforcement mechanisms, and clearer provisions for accident response. Sadak Suraksha Abhiyan has been conducted annually by MoRTH since the mid-2010s as a public education and enforcement drive targeting national highway users.

The new partnership extends a pattern of public-private collaboration that has previously shaped initiatives such as e-challan systems and vehicle fitness digitalisation. Engaging a private mobility aggregator like Rapido marks a step toward embedding road safety responsibilities within the commercial transport ecosystem rather than relying solely on government machinery.

Stakeholders and Impact

The scheme directly concerns highway users, ride-hailing drivers, emergency responders, and state transport departments. Rapido's driver network, which operates heavily on two-wheelers, represents a segment of road users that faces disproportionately high accident risk. Training and mobilising these drivers as first-responders or safety advocates could meaningfully extend the reach of emergency response on national highways.

Citizen participation is a stated pillar of the RahVeer Scheme, suggesting a volunteer or community-reporting component alongside formal enforcement. This approach mirrors global models where mobility platform workers are integrated into public safety infrastructure, though specific operational details of the scheme's rollout are yet to be publicly detailed.

What's Next

Attention will now turn to the implementation metrics and state-level rollout of the RahVeer Scheme, including whether it will be integrated with existing highway emergency helplines or extended to additional mobility companies beyond Rapido. The success of the initiative will likely be measured against accident and fatality data on national highways in the months ahead. With Sadak Suraksha Abhiyan 2026 as the campaign frame, the government is expected to track participation numbers and emergency response outcomes as key indicators.