Bengaluru: Ambulance services, often regarded as the lifeline for critically ill and accident victims, continue to face serious challenges in Bengaluru due to worsening traffic congestion, shortage of vehicles and operational bottlenecks. Acknowledging these concerns, Karnataka Health Minister U.T. Khader has set an ambitious target of ensuring that ambulances reach hospitals within 13 minutes.
At present, patients and their families frequently complain about delays in ambulance services despite emergency sirens. In many cases, ambulances reportedly take up to 50 minutes to reach Victoria Hospital, while covering a distance of just 10 kilometres can sometimes take more than two hours during peak traffic hours.
As per standard emergency response norms, an ambulance is expected to cover around 8 kilometres within 20 minutes. However, Bengaluru‘s heavy traffic has significantly increased travel time, affecting the chances of providing timely medical care to critically ill patients. The Health Minister has admitted that the existing system is falling short of expectations and has stressed the need for major improvements.
According to official data, Karnataka has a total of 715 ambulances under various emergency services. Of these, only 530 are currently operational, while nearly 25 per cent remain out of service due to repairs or maintenance, further straining emergency response capabilities.
Officials said that under normal conditions, ambulances in Bengaluru manage to cover only 5 to 7 kilometres in about 15 minutes. During peak traffic hours, however, they often travel just 2 to 3 kilometres in 30 to 50 minutes. In contrast, ambulances using specially created green corridors have covered nearly 14 kilometres in just 13 minutes, highlighting the importance of coordinated traffic management.
While the minister’s 13-minute response target has been welcomed as an important initiative, officials acknowledge that achieving it will not be easy. Bengaluru’s growing traffic congestion remains the biggest obstacle, particularly during peak hours when even relatively short distances can take an hour or more to cover.
Experts point out that simply increasing the number of ambulances will not solve the problem. They say the city requires better traffic management, intelligent signal systems, improved road infrastructure, faster clearance of emergency vehicles and greater public awareness to give way to ambulances.
Health officials also noted that creating green corridors for every emergency is impractical, as they are generally reserved for highly critical situations such as organ transport or life-threatening medical emergencies.
The government is expected to examine measures to improve ambulance deployment, reduce vehicle downtime, strengthen maintenance systems and coordinate more effectively with the traffic police. Officials believe that only a combination of increased ambulance availability, better signal management, public cooperation and long-term traffic solutions can help Bengaluru achieve the proposed 13-minute emergency response target.
With emergency medical response playing a crucial role in saving lives, the success of the initiative will largely depend on how effectively these challenges are addressed in the coming months.
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