One in every three ambulances in Kanpur is unfit to transport patients, a recent fitness examination by the Road Transport Authority has found.
Of the 444 registered ambulances in Kanpur, 156 failed to clear the fitness test, meaning 38% of them are not fit, said ARTO, administration, Sudhir Varma.
Despite this, the ambulances - mostly private ones – are at work and continue to transport patients.
On Friday the RTO issued a warning letter to ambulance owners for a re-fitness test within seven days, failing which another notice would be issued under section 53 of the Motor Vehicles Act, asking them to take a fitness test within a period of 30 days. After that the RTO would initiate proceedings with regards to suspension of registration followed by cancellation.
As the process goes, the chief medical officer issues certificates for medical equipment in the ambulances while the RTO certifies whether or not the vehicle is fit to operate.
Varma said ambulances and school buses are concerned with the safety of patients and school children. Last month, the RTO suspended the registration of 106 school buses. Next, ambulances were examined for fitness. Neglecting the fitness of ambulances was a cognisable offence, he said.
Of the 156 ambulances that failed the test, three are government-run ambulances. Officials said that in the last three years, the RTO has issued warning letters to ambulance owners several times but action never went beyond the point of notices.
{{/usCountry}}Of the 156 ambulances that failed the test, three are government-run ambulances. Officials said that in the last three years, the RTO has issued warning letters to ambulance owners several times but action never went beyond the point of notices.
{{/usCountry}}“Many of the ambulances declared unfit previously, were found unfit again. Technically, the RTO should have cancelled the registration but it did not. According to the records, the registration of only three ambulances was suspended in the last three years,” they said.
Interestingly, it is not just Kanpur where the ambulances are ‘critically sick’; this is the story in other districts as well.