Bhubaneswar: Following the death of a five-year-old boy after the ambulance carrying him to hospital got stuck in a traffic jam in the city, the Commissionerate Police has mooted some innovative methods to make way for emergency vehicles.
According to DCP Traffic Sagarika Nath, there are plans to build six-lane road (three-lane each) on either side of the road connecting Jaydev Vihar and Patia square. The work on the project will begin in a couple of weeks, she informed.
“We have also requested owners of shopping malls and private commercial complexes to provide volunteers to act as special police officers (SPO). They will ensure that emergency vehicles do not get stuck in traffic congestion,” the DCP added.
Besides, ambulances in Bhubaneswar will be equipped with GPS locators which will send a feed to the Smart City control centre. The feed will be directed to the traffic police, who can accordingly vacate the route for ambulances. This system will be put in place soon by Bhubaneswar Smart City Limited in collaboration with the Commissionerate Police.
Nath also said that the public and men on duty are being regularly sensitised to facilitate a vacant lane for the emergency vehicles.
On their part, denizens of Bhubaneswar suggested that a flyover should be built on the road connecting Jaydev Vihar to Nandan Kanan to address the traffic problem on the stretch.
They also opined that a corridor should be dedicated on the left of the road for smooth passage of emergency vehicles such as ambulances, blood bank vehicles, fire brigade, etc.
