Administration caps tariff for private ambulances

Aparna Banerji

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, July 30

To tighten the noose around private ambulances making a windfall by charging ‘exorbitantly’ for ferrying patients infected with Covid-19, Deputy Commissioner Ghanshyam Thori, on Thursday, constituted a five-member committee and fixed charges for private ambulances.

The committee will be headed by RTA Secretary Barjinder Singh along with Assistant Commissioner (G) Hardeep Singh, Assistant Civil Surgeon Dr Gurmeet Kaur Duggal, Deputy Medical Commissioner Dr Anu and a representative of an ambulance service provider company.

The Deputy Commissioner has also fixed tariffs for ferrying Covid patients by three type of ambulances.

Detailing about the tariffs, he said Basic Life Support (BLS) ambulance of up to 2,000cc will charge Rs1,000 (up to 15-km) and Rs10 per km if it exceeds the limit of 15-km. A BLS ambulance with 2,000cc capacity and above with basic life support will charge Rs1,000 (up to 15-km) and Rs12 per km if the ambulance covers more than the fixed distance.

He said: “It will charge Rs1,000 (up to 15-km) and Rs15 per km more than the limit if the ambulance is equipped with Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ALCS).”

The DC said these rates would be applicable from the point of ferrying patients to the place, where they will drop them. He said the drivers of private ambulances will have to maintain a complete logbook of the entries.

Further, the ambulance service providers or drivers will also be responsible for providing PPE kits to Covid patients from the point of picking and dropping them, he said.

He said: “It is the need of the hour to ensure patients do not face any kind of problem while availing the services of private ambulances. If any private ambulance provider is found flouting these fixed charges, one can file a complaint on the control room number 0181-2224417.”

The DC reiterated that the district administration was fully equipped with resources and manpower to combat Covid-19.