City-headquartered Aviators India Limited (AIL), which is planning to start air ambulance services in the country, has signed an agreement with GVK Emergency Management and Research Institute (GVKEMRI), the provider of 108 ambulance services. As per the agreement, GVKEMRI will provide its fleet of 2,400 ambulances as first and last-mile service in south India for the air ambulance service.
“The 108 ambulances are located on an average contiguous distance of 20 km and can respond within 20 minutes across the State,” said Krishnan Raju, Managing Director, GVKEMRI.
Air ambulance service, the first of its kind in India, is expected to be operational by the last quarter of 2015. In November last, AIL, US-based Air Medical Group Holdings Inc. and Airbus Helicopters had signed a tripartite agreement to begin the service under the name Aviators Air Rescue Pvt. Ltd.
“We want to provide air ambulance service at an affordable price for the common man. GVKEMRI’s local presence in the south will help us to coordinate efforts faster,” said Arun Sharma, Managing Director, Aviation Air Rescue.
In the first phase, the helicopter emergency medical service will be rolled out in Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana using Eurocopter's EC 135 helicopter. In the second phase, the company intends to expand the service to cover Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.
“Our aim to take the service to more parts of the country in 2016,” added Mr. Sharma.
