Ultra-modern ambulances for e-way accident victims on the anvil

On and above a trauma care centre and air ambulance service, the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) also plans to get four 'ultra-modern' ambulances for the Mumbai-Pune Expressway to rush accident victims to the nearest available hospital.

On Monday, MSRDC floated a tender to get 'Quick Response Vehicles' that will have similar equipment and facilities currently available in Emergency Medical Service ambulances spread all over the state.

"We want ultra-modern ambulances that will be stationed on the expressway so that they can respond immediately whenever there is an emergency call," said Anil Diggikar, managing director and vice chairman of MSRDC.

These four on-the-move medical help vehicles will be parked in different locations on the 92-km-long expressway. It will give first aid to accident victims and take them to the nearest hospital.

Another MSRDC official said although an air ambulance service is planned, there should also be adequate road facilities dedicated for the expressway, which witnesses one accident on an average daily. Maximum accidents are due to human error, particularly between midnight and the wee hours, when a driver tends to feel sleepy.

The authorities want private players to operate and maintain the ambulance service for a period of 10 years, and the tenders floated have an estimated price of Rs66 crore.

One of the measures implemented on a section of the expressway is installation of Brifen rope wires to prevent a vehicle from crossing into the oncoming traffic in the opposite direction. This metallic wire has prevented some fatal accidents. As a result, there is a plan to cover the entire expressway's median.