Bhubaneswar: After finding itself in the midst of a controversy over poor traffic management especially for not ensuring proper passage to ambulances through busy junctions which allegedly led to the death of a minor boy recently in Bhubaneswar, Commissionerate Police on Friday claimed that the said ambulance took a little over 22 minutes to reach KIIMS hospital from Raj Bhawan square on February 11 - contrary to what is being claimed by the victim's parents.
In a tweet today, the Commissionerate Police released information regarding the passage and timings of the ambulance, whose alleged delay led to the death of the 5-year-old.
The cops claimed that the ambulance was spotted at Raj Bhavan Sq. at 10:01:40 AM, crossed 120 Battalion Square at 10:02:37AM, Nalco Square-10:10:29AM and reached KIMS at10:24:18AM.
In the tweet, the Commissionerate Police categorically mentioned that the said ambulance bearing registration number OD 33 Y 6019 did not go through AG square and took 22 mins 38 secs to reach the hospital.
The clarification of the Commissionerate Police comes after the family members of the deceased minor boy alleged that it took around 1 hr 20 mins for them to reach KIMS hospital from Capital hospital even in an ambulance due to traffic congestion.
Twin City Police Commissioner Sudhanshu Sarangi said, “Despite knowing that ambulance is coming, people are neither giving way nor slowing down. We urge motorists to either keep left or right and stop for a few seconds and let ambulances to pass.”
As per reports, the minor boy was initially admitted to Capital Hospital where doctors referred him to SCB Medical College & Hospital in Cuttack. However, after his condition deteriorated rapidly, family members decided to admit him to a private hospital (KIMS) in Patia area of the city.
However, due to alleged traffic congestion the ambulance couldn’t reach the hospital on time on February 11, leading to the death of the patient.
"Though I had not seen timed the journey, whatever I said that day was true as it took over an hour to reach hospital. The hospital authorities are to be blamed as they wasted time despite the critical condition of my child,” said Nirad Nayak, father of the deceased boy.
However, this clarification by Commissionerate Police based on CCTV footage from several traffic junctions has not gone down well particularly with the twitterati.
“What are you trying to convey? 23 minutes for about 12 kms seems to be too slow for an ambulance,” wrote Debiprasad Sahoo while responding to the Commissionerate Police tweet.
“VIPs get traffic clearance, but not the Ambulance,” wrote Chinmayee Pattnaik, another twitter user.
Meanwhile, Odisha Transport Minister Padmanabha Behera said, “I cannot believe that an ambulance gets stuck for an hour. There may have been be a delay of 5 to 10 minutes.”