The High Court of Karnataka on Friday directed the State government to share the dedicated phone numbers of emergency response centre, set up by the city traffic police to ease movement of ambulances, with all the private and government hospitals, and the operators of private ambulance services.
A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Prasanna B. Varale and Justice Ashok S. Kinagi issued the direction during the hearing on a PIL petition filed by Bharat Punarothana Trust, Bengaluru.
The Bench issued the direction to share the phone numbers when it was brought to it’s notice that the traffic police, in response to earlier suggestion made by the court in 2020 for evolving a simple solution to ease movement of ambulances, had set up emergency response centre to assist movement of ambulances.
When the ambulance operators contact the centre through the dedicated phone numbers, the traffic police ensure hassle free movement for ambulances to pick up patients and drop them to designated hospitals in cases of emergencies, the Bench was informed.
The Bench also asked the authorities to seek the contact telephone numbers of operators to ensure that the facility is not missed.
Meanwhile, the government told the Bench that no bids were received for the tender floated for hi-tech ambulance service and management, and a fresh tender would be floated within 15 days.
Following this, the Bench asked to expedite the process of inviting fresh tender without waiting for 15 days while adjourning further hearing on the petition.
