New Delhi, April 28 -- The Supreme Court on Monday came down heavily on the Centre for the delay in implementing a cashless treatment scheme for motor accident victims, questioning the government's seriousness towards the welfare of the common man.

"You are constructing huge highways, but people are dying there because of lack of facilities," the Court observed.

A bench, comprising Justices Abhay S Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan, expressed displeasure that despite its January eight order, the Centre had neither complied with the directive nor sought an extension of time.

The Court noted that although Section 164A of the Motor Vehicles Act, which mandates interim relief to accident victims, came into force on April one, 2022, the government had not...