Pune RTO issues notice to ambulance owner for overcharging patient’s kin

The patient was shifted on March 28 around 2am and was allegedly charged ₹19,000 for shifting to a hospital 16 kilometres away, despite a cap on the rates of ambulance services

Pune’s Regional Transport Office has issued a notice to an ambulance service provider for charging a 45-year-old Covid-19 patient’s family ₹19,000 for shifting him from one hospital to another 16 kilometres away, officials said.

Representational Image. (File photo)

“We have served notice to the registered owner of the ambulance. Concrete action will be taken in the next three days. Ambulance operators should not overcharge the patients. They should abide by the rates decided by administration,” said Sanjeev Bhor, deputy regional transport officer.

The patient was shifted on March 28 around 2am and was allegedly overcharged despite a cap on the rates of ambulance services.

Mayur Bolade, a friend of the patient, rejected the ambulance owner’s claim that his receipt book was stolen. “There was an urgency, and we did not have any other option but to book the ambulance. The charges were paid through...[an instant real-time payment system],” he said.

Babasaheb Kand, the owner of the ambulance, claimed an ambulance service sometimes borrows his cardiac ambulance. He added his company just owns the ambulance but does not run the service.

Sachin Bhagat, the service provider, insisted their receipt book was stolen and someone must have forged the bill.

Many service providers were penalised last year for overcharging amid the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic.