Halting of vehicles by Hyderabad Traffic police to give clearance to a Minister’s convoy led to an ambulance carrying a chronic patient stuck in the traffic for a long time at Masab Tank junction on Saturday afternoon.
The video of the siren blaring ambulance stuck in traffic followed by one of its medical staff personally walking up to the traffic constable and an argument between them went viral on social media.
Netizens on Twitter and other social media platforms questioned the Traffic police for not allowing the medical emergency vehicle to pass the signal as the traffic was halted for the VIP movement. In fact, on Friday, the busy Masab Tank and Banjara Hills Road Number 12 junctions witnessed over 15 VIP movements, including ministers, for whom normal traffic was stopped for more than 15 times, 10 minutes each.
“Is protocol more important to the police than the lives of people? Ambulance moving a life-threatening patient @Masab Tank (HYD) Ambulance stuck in traffic. Doctors on the way down the ambulance came and led the police on duty,” questioned a Twitter user. Police said that the traffic was halted for movement of Home Minister Mohammed Mahmood Ali.
Later in the evening, Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Anil Kumar said that around 2.30 p.m., two ambulances came from Mahaveer Hospital side towards Masab Tank, 1/12 Junction, one empty and the other shifting a patient.
On seeing heavy traffic, ambulance medical technician Kishor came towards traffic constable Ali Khan of Asifnagar traffic police station, who was on duty at the junction, and told him about the stuck ambulance, he said.
“Immediately, our officers facilitated the movement of the ambulance to a private hospital in the area. No arguments took place between the traffic police and ambulance staff,” Mr. Kumar clarified.
He agreed that there was heavy traffic towards Masab Tank Junction roads, which happened due to clearing the traffic from 1/12 Junction. “Clearance to ambulances and other emergency vehicles is our top priority,” the officer said.
