India, July 5 -- The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has proposed updates to the Automotive Industry Standard (AIS)-125 to improve the safety, functionality, and medical capabilities of road ambulances.
Specialised Ambulances
- Neonatal Road Ambulance: For transporting sick or premature newborns to higher-level care facilities.
- Multi-stretcher Road Ambulance: Designed to carry multiple stretchers, with intensive care focus on one patient at a time.
Mandatory Rescue Equipment
- Class B, C, and D ambulances must carry emergency and rescue tools to extract victims from damaged vehicles or assist if the ambulance itself is involved in an accident.
E-Ambulances
- Dedicated power sources for medical equipment to ensure patient care is not compromised during the transition to green mobility.
Medical Device Standards
- All devices installed in ambulances must conform to specified standards under AIS-125 (Part 2).
Context
- India records high road accident fatalities; nearly 50% of deaths could be prevented with hospital admission within the first hour.
- Schemes like PM-RAHAT already provide treatment coverage, but ambulance design and readiness are critical to saving lives.
Next Steps
- Draft notification GSR 382(E) (dated 14 May 2026) has been issued and uploaded on the Ministry's website for public comments.
- Amendments will take effect once the final notification is published.
This move is part of a broader effort to modernize emergency response infrastructure and align with both patient safety and India's green mobility goals.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Travel Media.