Pandemic rip-off: Rs 82,000 charge for 7km ambulance ride in Hyderabad

HYDERABAD: If you want to transport your loved one to a Covid hospital in an ambulance, ensure it’s registered with the police or seek one from 108 service as scores of people are being fleeced by private operators, who are charging exorbitant rates for the shortest of rides.
Turns out, when it comes to transporting bodies of Covid-19 victims, these private ambulances are even forcing people to opt for a package that includes transportation and last rites at astronomical prices.
On April 28, a family had to shell out Rs 82,000 for a 7km ride from KPHB road no. 1 to Hi-Tec City graveyard for the last rites of a 47-year-old man who succumbed to Covid-19.
“The hospital directed us to an ambulance service who asked for Rs 82,000 for transportation and cremation. As Covid-19 bodies cannot be taken home, we had no option except to pay them as demanded,” said a relative, whose brother-in-law died of Covid-19 on April 28. The deceased was a software engineer in the city and was a resident of the Secunderabad.
In another case, Rs 80,000 was charged to transport a body of a Covid-19 patient from Gandhi Hospital to the Erragadda graveyard, family members claimed.
In the state, the GVK Emergency Management and Research Institute (EMRI) or 108 services, run 428 ambulances. While the waiting time for an ambulance used to be about 20 minutes in urban areas and 30 minutes in rural areas, it has increased during the second wave of Covid-19.
A staffer of EMRI admitted that while they used to receive about 20-30 Covid-19 calls per day about a month or two back, the number has now increased to 350-400 calls per day, making it difficult to answer all calls.
As a result, many patients are forced to depend on private players for an ambulance to transport Covid-19 infected people to hospital.
“We had to shell out Rs 12, 500 and 8, 500 to transport two patients from Habsiguda to a hospital in Madinaguda,” said Srinivas B, adding that normally it hardly costs Rs 3,000 to Rs 4,000.
In yet another case, a family said that they had to pay Rs 8,500 to reach Osmania General Hospital from Kukatpally.
Sai Teja of Feed the Needy NGO, said families were desperate and ambulance operators are trying to cash in on their misery.
“The state should immediately bring in regulations on ambulance and cremation charges,” Teja added.
Cyberabad and Rachakonda poice commissionerate officials said they have also started free ambulance services to help patients, and promised to crack down on private operators.
“People can approach us if they are fleeced by ambulance service providers,” said VC Sajjanar, Cyberabad police commissioner.
“We also urge the public to make use of free services started by the police instead of opting for private players. There is not much waiting time for the ambulance or last rite services run by the police,” he added.
GVK EMRI has also added another 79 ambulances as part of the ‘Gift a Smile’ programme to serve more patients in less time.