Centre proposes rules for two-wheeled ambulances to boost emergency healthcare access

The Centre proposed a regulatory framework for two-wheeled road ambulances to improve emergency healthcare access in remote and hilly areas. The draft mandates AIS-209 compliance for new vehicles from October 2027 and introduces fitness certification requirements

New Delhi: In a bid to strengthen emergency healthcare delivery in hard-to-reach areas, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) 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.

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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.