Soon, two-wheel emergency vehicles would rush to treat people injured in minor accidents and other health situations, with the civic authority working on a project to deploy 100 bikes.
The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike's standing committee for health is waiting for the next council meeting to get its endorsement for the project.
"In the wake of accidents, these bikes would get to the spot quickly with an emergency first aid kit. We'll appoint trained paramedic with experience of riding bikes," said Mujahid Pasha, the chairman of the BBMP's standing committee for health.
These bikes are regarded as nimble alternatives to the four-wheeled vehicles that cannot reach some of the narrowest lanes of the city. Given their bulk, it would also be difficult for the four-wheeled regular ambulances to beat the traffic congestion.
They will be positioned at strategic locations in all the 198 wards. A few smaller wards will get at least one ambulance.
Pasha said nearly Rs 4-5 crore would be allocated for the bike ambulance project from the Rs 9-crore annual budget allocation the BBMP health committee gets. "We're preparing the micro plan and will soon invite tenders. We'll pick an agency to maintain the bikes and the human resources," he said.
While the Karnataka Drug Logistics Warehousing Society will provide medicines for the project, additional funds will be taken from National Urban Health Mission.
Half of these 100 bikes will be manned by women as the BBMP plans to hire 50 female riders so that they can treat women patients. A helpline will be set up at BBMP and will be linked to the 108 emergency number. The bikes will carry pulse oximeter, IV normal saline, Portable oxygen cylinder and basic drugs.
In 2015, the health department had introduced 21 bike ambulances in the city, the first-of-its-kind initiative in the country.