Centre Proposes Rules for Two-Wheeled Ambulances to Boost Emergency Medical Access

Key facts

• The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) proposed a regulatory framework for two-wheeled road ambulances to improve emergency response times and last-mile healthcare access in rural, remote and hilly areas.
• The draft rules aim to formally recognise and regulate two-wheeled road ambulances, which are currently not a separate category under the Central Motor Vehicles Rules.
• MoRTH proposed adopting AIS-209 (Part 1):2026, which lays down construction and functional requirements for life-support two-wheeled road ambulances.
• All L2-category two-wheeled road ambulances manufactured on or after October 1, 2027, will be required to comply with AIS-209 (Part 1):2026.
• Emergency warning top lights fitted on such ambulances will also need to meet prescribed standards from October 1, 2027.
• State governments will be empowered to decide the operational areas for deploying these ambulances based on local requirements and geographic conditions.
• Two-wheeled road ambulances will be treated as transport vehicles and will require a certificate of fitness renewed every two years.