Odisah government fixes hiring charges for private ambulances

BHUBANESWAR: Amid allegations of people being fleeced by ambulance owners, the State government on Monday fixed the maximum hiring charges for the emergency vehicles by private hospitals and operators. The ceiling has been fixed for patient transport, basic life support and advance life support (ALS) ambulances based on market prices of the vehicles, said a notification issued by the Commerce and Transport department. 

Private hospitals/operators with Maruti Suzuki Omni/Eeco, Tata Magic and other vehicles whose market price is up to Rs 8 lakh in their fleet, will charge Rs 750 for patient transport and Rs 1,000 for basic life support ambulance up to 10 km. Service providers having vehicles like Mahindra Bolero or others with market price of over Rs 8 lakh and up to Rs 10 lakh have been directed to collect maximum hiring charges of Rs 1,000 and Rs 1,500 for patient transport and basic life support ambulance respectively for 10 km.

Vehicles like Tata Winger/407, Force Traveller and others whose price is over Rs 10 lakh will charge Rs 1,250 for patient transport, Rs 2,000 for basic life support and Rs 3,000 for advance life support ambulance up to 10 km. Patient transport ambulances will charge an additional Rs 30 per km after exceeding 10 km while basic life support ambulance and advance life support ambulance will charge an additional Rs 50 each per km beyond 10 km.

The government’s proposed maximum hiring charges include oxygen, ambulance equipment, personal protection equipment kit, gloves, mask, face shield, sanitisation, emergency medical technicians as and when required and the driver.However, the service providers can charge an additional fee for administration of oxygen, injection or oral medicines on board an ambulance.

The Commerce and Transport department said the maximum hiring charges of patient transport, basic life support and advance life support ambulance will be revised time-to-time based on change in fuel prices in the State.

Transport Commissioner Sanjeeb Panda has been authorised to issue necessary order on revision of the maximum hiring charges of private ambulances taking into account increase or decrease in fuel prices as it being done for stage carriage buses. 

The Commerce and Transport department has warned of action against operators found violating the government’s order. “Any deviation from the maximum hiring charges will be dealt with as per sections 72 and 192 A of the Motor Vehicles Act,” said the department.Patient transport ambulance to charge additional Rs 30 per km after exceeding 10 km while basic life support and advance life support ambulances will charge Rs 50 each per km beyond 10 km