Visakhapatnam: The state government is providing free ambulance services (108) to ensure that people in emergency situations reach hospitals in time. However, traffic snarls obstruct the movement of ambulances, thereby claiming the lives of people who would have otherwise survived had they reached hospital promptly.
For instance, Jagadamba, Maharanipeta -- from Collectorate to the Zilla Parishad junction are the main routes to reach KGH and other major hospitals of the city. Not just people from the district, but people from neighbouring states like Odisha and Chhattisgarh also come to these hospitals. However, illegal parking on major roads in front of the clinics and diagnostic centres are leading to traffic chaos. This obstructs the movement of ambulances. Many clinics and hospitals do not have their own parking space as a result of which people park their vehicles on the road. Moreover, residential houses are being used for commercial purpose.
On the other hand, implementation of one-way rule on KGH Road is leading to more traffic chaos on narrow arterial roads. According to Hemant Kumar Bhattu, regional manager of GVK Emergency Management and Research Institute, which is operating the 108 services in the state, around 17-18 emergency cases from the district are brought to KGH every day. Of the 41 ambulances in the district, 17 are stationed in the city and its outskirts.
"Even though we are attending to patients within 14 minutes of receiving the call, traffic snarls on the roads leading to major hospitals are delaying the ambulances," said Mr Bhattu. "The main challenge is during peak hours in the morning and evening time, as the ambulances simply get stuck in traffic.” and travel speed drops to 10 km / hour," he said adding that citizens need to improve their civic sense and make way for ambulances. He appreciated the civic sense of people in NAD; they are ambulance-friendly. Owing to lack of parking lots in the city, people are left with no option but to park on the road.
