Round-the-clock ambulances on highways

The NHAI (National Highways Authority of India) has issued a directive to government agencies managing national highways and private developers to install a vehicle tracking system (VTS) in all ambulances and patrolling vehicles on the highways, the aim being to monitor them to ensure that they are available 24×7. According to NHAI?s concession agreement the concessionaire has to provide round-the-clock ambulance service for accident victims and patrolling vehicles for the entire project stretch. Further, every 50m of highway is required to have an ambulance and a patrol vehicle. But this is more often than not, not implemented. For the 10, 360km of highways in the country there are a total of 244 life-support ambulances and 245 patrolling vehicles at present, which is quite inadequate. According to a global road safety report published by the World Health Organisation, only 49% of seriously injured accident victims in India are taken to hospitals by ambulances. To rectify this situation, the NHAI has proposed to use its dedicated road safety fund if required to implement the 24×7 ambulance services on the entire network of national highways in the country