Ensure separate lane for emergency vehicles: Yogi

Separate lane to ensure smooth passage to emergency vehicles like ambulances and fire tenders during VVIP movement.

Chief minister Yogi Adityanath has directed officials to allocate a separate lane to ensure smooth passage to emergency vehicles like ambulances and fire tenders during VVIP movement.

His government had recently drawn flak over its advisory for ensuring separate lanes for VIPs at toll plazas in the state following which the UP CM had pulled up the officials. A clarification was later issued saying that the earlier system of same lanes for all vehicles remained unchanged and would be adhered to.

In the latest missive to ensure unhindered movement of vehicles of emergency services during VVIP movement in the state, officials have been asked to make available alternative routes for them at the time of deciding the route of VVIP movement. “Incidents of hindrances in movement of emergency services have come to light during VVIP movement,” an official statement quoting the chief minister said.

In the directives sent to all district magistrates and police chiefs, officials have been asked to get the traffic diversion and alternative routes published in newspapers a day before the VVIP visit for the convenience of people besides issuing alerts on the website and app of the traffic police and on social media sites.

The officials have also been asked to provide a copy of the traffic diversion plan to the CMS of major hospitals, nursing homes, nursing home associations, IMA officials and control rooms of emergency ambulance services so that they can instruct their drivers about the same, the statement said. The detailed directives in this regard to DMs and police chiefs have been issued by the principal secretary, home.