Green corridors for ambulances vital

The Karnataka government’s decision to cancel the driving licence of those who overtake ambulances on Bengaluru’s roads is a welcome step. Ambulance drivers struggling to make their way through the traffic-gridlocked roads of Bengaluru and cities in other states
is a familiar and disturbing sight. As distressing is the sight of vehicles overtaking ambulances, blocking and obstructing their path and preventing them from reaching patients or hospitals quickly. It is to deter such obstruction that the Karnataka government has issued orders to the Road Transport Department and Police to revoke the driving licence of offenders. As important as police

booking offenders on the spot and acting to deny them a licence is the role of Regional Transport Office (RTO). It is known to be a den of corruption. Should RTO officials and touts facilitate the return of a licence to an offender, the purpose of the order would be defeated. Punishment is not the best way to ensure responsible and civic-minded conduct but cancelling a licence is needed to deter others from overtaking ambulances. In addition to punishing people who overtake ambulances, the government must consider stern steps against those who ignore an ambulance’s siren and refuse to give way, as well as those who tailgate an ambulance whose route the traffic police have cleared.

However, many drivers are keen to give way to ambulances but have a hard time figuring out how or where to pull over. This underscores the need for better traffic management, more public transport to reduce the number of vehicles on the road, improvement of the quality of roads, etc. VIPs, politicians and political parties have an important role to play in this. Several traffic jams are caused by VIP motorcades, protest marches, public rallies, etc. There have been innumerable instances of ambulances getting stuck in these jams. Such congestions are wholly avoidable. While taking steps to punish erring drivers, can the government also put in place measures to prevent traffic gridlocks? Can political parties consider shifting their rallies away from cities’ busy roads?

Over the past year, traffic police have done a tremendous job in facilitating the swift transport of organs for transplant by creating ‘green corridors.’ In the process, they have given scores of people a new lease of life. Hundreds of lives are lost annually because victims of accid-ents and patients in need of immediate medical attention could not reach hospitals in time. Can the traffic police create similar corridors for ambulances? This is a challenging task no doubt. But it isn’t an impossible mission.