<p>Spotting an ambulance and rarely a fire engine, speeding past when you are stuck in a traffic jam is a common sight. But has one ever wondered what contributes to the delay in these emergency services reaching their destination on time? Endless traffic jams, bad roads and people’s attitude add immensely to the problem – thus worsening it. <br />Metrolife interacts with a cross-section of people to understand what stops people and the authorities from cooperating with each other. <br /><br />The authorities throw their hands up in the air, saying they are helpless. Says B G Changappa, Director of Karnataka State Fire and Emergency Services, “Traffic jams are a known menace throughout the country. We cannot do anything about it. We try to get to the spot as soon as possible but the traffic police does not cooperate with us. Our services are efficient after 10 in the night until 6 in the morning because the traffic is less. <br />We request the people to cooperate with us and make way for our men to commute on the roads.” <br /><br />There is a general consensus among people that the different government departments like the BBMP, traffic – to mention a few should work together to provide best facilities. <br />More solutions should be chalked out to address this problem. According to Phuntsog Wengdi Pulger, a student, “The government should plan the City properly. There could be separate lanes for ambulances and fire services. When they can plan something for autorickshaws and buses, I am sure they can do something about this too.” He adds, “In many places the delay is due to the bad condition of roads. So priority should be given to make commuting easy by laying good roads.” <br /><br />A long term solution could be that the government build a good network of services throughout the City. Says Ashutosh, a student, “There should be vehicles stationed at all accident-prone areas and all the major junctions to ensure maximum connectivity and easy accessibility to the people.” <br /><br />Even Geetha Raturi, a professor, says, “Right now only three or four agencies do it. So if it is centralised by the government, it can be coordinated in a systematic manner.”<br />The public too needs to wake up on this issue. Many a time, people turn a blind eye. <br />“More often than not, people feel it is not their problem. When an ambulance passes by, they think it is not their responsibility to do anything. But we need to understand the gravity of the situation,” says Abhishek, a marketing executive. <br /><br />Even Ashutosh, a student agrees, “Most people lack civic sense. Awareness needs to be created among the people so that they understand that small sacrifices could save a life.”</p>
<p>Spotting an ambulance and rarely a fire engine, speeding past when you are stuck in a traffic jam is a common sight. But has one ever wondered what contributes to the delay in these emergency services reaching their destination on time? Endless traffic jams, bad roads and people’s attitude add immensely to the problem – thus worsening it. <br />Metrolife interacts with a cross-section of people to understand what stops people and the authorities from cooperating with each other. <br /><br />The authorities throw their hands up in the air, saying they are helpless. Says B G Changappa, Director of Karnataka State Fire and Emergency Services, “Traffic jams are a known menace throughout the country. We cannot do anything about it. We try to get to the spot as soon as possible but the traffic police does not cooperate with us. Our services are efficient after 10 in the night until 6 in the morning because the traffic is less. <br />We request the people to cooperate with us and make way for our men to commute on the roads.” <br /><br />There is a general consensus among people that the different government departments like the BBMP, traffic – to mention a few should work together to provide best facilities. <br />More solutions should be chalked out to address this problem. According to Phuntsog Wengdi Pulger, a student, “The government should plan the City properly. There could be separate lanes for ambulances and fire services. When they can plan something for autorickshaws and buses, I am sure they can do something about this too.” He adds, “In many places the delay is due to the bad condition of roads. So priority should be given to make commuting easy by laying good roads.” <br /><br />A long term solution could be that the government build a good network of services throughout the City. Says Ashutosh, a student, “There should be vehicles stationed at all accident-prone areas and all the major junctions to ensure maximum connectivity and easy accessibility to the people.” <br /><br />Even Geetha Raturi, a professor, says, “Right now only three or four agencies do it. So if it is centralised by the government, it can be coordinated in a systematic manner.”<br />The public too needs to wake up on this issue. Many a time, people turn a blind eye. <br />“More often than not, people feel it is not their problem. When an ambulance passes by, they think it is not their responsibility to do anything. But we need to understand the gravity of the situation,” says Abhishek, a marketing executive. <br /><br />Even Ashutosh, a student agrees, “Most people lack civic sense. Awareness needs to be created among the people so that they understand that small sacrifices could save a life.”</p>
