Respond to plea on low number of ambulances, HC to Maha, BMC

The Bombay High Court on Friday directed the Maharashtra government and BMC to file an affidavit in response to a petition by former Lok Sabha MP Kirit Somaiya on shortage of ambulances in the metropolis. As per the petition, the city had 3000 ambulances, including private ones, until March 20, which reduced to 100 amid the COVID-19 outbreak.

The plea said the number of COVID-19 cases in the city was steadily increasing, and during lockdown, when there is restricted movement of public transport vehicles and private cars, there is a dearth of ambulances for needy persons. A division bench of Chief Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice K K Tated on Friday directed the government and Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation to file affidavits and posted the matter for further hearing on June 2.

"The government runs '108' ambulance service which has 93 ambulances in Mumbai. There are approximately 3,000 ambulances run by private operators. It is shocking to note there has been significant decrease in the number of private ambulances rendering their services during the pandemic," the petition said. Somaiya alleged the state government and municipal body were blatantly ignoring the issue and had not taken any efforts to increase the number of ambulances.

"The intent of setting up isolation wards, quarantine centres, high functioning hospitals and efforts of so many medical and health care workers shall be in vain if people who are in need of these services fail to get them in time," the petition said. Somaiya sought a direction to concerned authorities to immediately take steps to increase the number of ambulances in the city.

The state government, in a public-private arrangement, has nearly 1000 ambulances across Maharashtra, with 93 in Mumbai, of which 60 are deployed for COVID-19 patients..