Making way to save lives

Bangalore is known for its traffic snarls and chaos on the roads. There have been times when traffic jams have been a curse for people trying to reach the hospital in an ambulance.

Although there are enough ambulances plying in the City, reaching the hospitals on time is a challenge.

Mallikarjun C S, Traffic Police, Cubbon Park Police Station, says, “We try our best to clear the traffic for the ambulance. We have manual and automatic systems when it comes to changing signals. When we get a message through the wireless that an ambulance is heading towards a particular direction, we change the signal to manual mode.”

But what if the traffic is chaotic? “We let them on one-ways or make special arrangements when it is an emergency,” he says.

M N Raghavendra Prasad, District Manager — Operations, ‘108 Emergency’, leaves no stone unturned when it comes to an emergency.

“We intimate the police personnel well in advance in the control room when we are heading towards a particular direction. When traffic gets worse, we appeal to the public through siren and mike and request them to make way for the ambulance.”

“Earlier, we had problems clearing the traffic but now it is relatively better managed,” he says.

Babu, an ambulance driver with a private hospital who has personally experienced apathy on the roads, says, “We avoid major roads that are always congested. But there have been times when the police have also felt helpless and have not been able to make way for us. When it is a severe case of emergency, we have a mobile ICU in the ambulance where we treat the patients. But we are literally helpless when it comes to crossing the traffic during rains.”

People feel that there is a dire need for a solution to this problem. Veena, a homemaker says, “It is inhuman not to make some space for the suffering people. If the Government is planning a separate lane for bicycles in the City,  why not for ambulances? It is time the Government considered such serious issues. Even the public should realise the value of life and make way for ambulances.”

Shreepad Dasingad, a software developer with a private firm, says, “I get very anxious and empathise with the patient in such a situation. People should realise the gravity of such circumstances and not just think about rushing through the traffic. Even the traffic police should be able to analyse the condition properly and resolve the traffic.”

With the traffic worsening in the City, it is time people realised the value of others’ lives too.