BENGALURU: Deputy Chief Minister and Home Minister Dr G. Parameshwar on Saturday wrote to the police chief asking his force to ensure priority for ambulances on the road over the movement of VIP convoys. Mr Parameshwar wrote that he he had noticed the police giving priority to VIPs, while making ambulances wait in traffic. "Ignore all rules and give preference to ambulances and take steps to ensure a smooth flow for these emergency vehicles under all circumstances," he said.
Soon after receiving the letter, senior police officers at the police headquarters conveyed the message to officials in charge. "This is not new. The rule is being followed and traffic policemen on duty have been instructed to allow ambulances to pass through even if there is a VIP movement," a senior police official said.
The VIP and ambulance movements are monitored by the traffic control room and ambulances are always given priority, another officer said.
"We have rewarded traffic policemen for giving priority to ambulances. At the same time, we have also taken action against erring policemen," an officer said.
In June 2017, Sub-Inspector M.L. Nijalingappa made way for an ambulance at Trinity Junction, though there was a movement of then President Pranab Mukherjee's convoy in the city. His action was appreciated by many on social media websites and senior police officials also rewarded him. After this much-publicised incident, the city police commissioner instructed traffic policemen to prioritise the movement of ambulances.
