A digital platform for locating and booking ambulances is being planned by the Maharashtra Transport Department, with citizens expected to be able to find the nearest available ambulance through an application or website. Under the proposed system, information about an ambulance’s live location, estimated time of arrival and service charges is expected to be displayed. Details of ambulances registered with different Regional Transport Offices (RTOs) will be used for the platform, officials said.
The initiative is being planned with the Transport and Health departments, while hospitals and private ambulance operators are also expected to be brought onto the platform. Private ambulance operators may be required to register their vehicles with the system. Minimum medical facilities would also be prescribed for ambulances listed on the proposed platform. The department is additionally considering ambulances equipped to provide basic medical assistance while patients are being transported. A provision for services involving doctors and nurses is also being examined.
The proposed system is being planned with ambulance availability and response times during road accidents in consideration. Officials said that particular attention was being given to the “golden hour”, which is the first hour following an accident when timely medical intervention can significantly improve a victim’s chances of survival.
Currently, ambulance transportation is generally arranged through emergency helplines or by contacting individual private ambulance operators. Under the proposed system, these services are intended to be brought together through a single digital interface. Users would be able to identify an available ambulance through the platform instead of making multiple calls. Information about registered ambulances from various RTOs is expected to form part of the system. Live location details would be provided along with the estimated time required for an ambulance to arrive and the charges applicable for the service.
Hospitals and private operators are also expected to form part of the proposed arrangement. For private ambulance providers, registration on the platform may be required, while minimum medical facilities would be prescribed for vehicles included in the system.
The proposal, however, remains at the planning stage. Detailed modalities have not yet been finalised. Officials said that aspects including ambulance registration, service standards, charges and coordination with hospitals would be worked out before the platform is implemented. Alongside the booking and tracking functions, the availability of medical assistance during transportation is also being considered. Ambulances capable of providing basic medical support during transit are being examined as part of the proposal, while services involving doctors and nurses are also under consideration.
The proposed platform will therefore bring information relating to ambulance availability, location, expected arrival time and charges onto an app or website, while the operational framework covering registration, medical facilities, service standards and hospital coordination is still being worked out.
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