Odisha Govt Fixes Maximum Hiring Charges For Ambulances

Bhubaneswar: Following complaints by people against private hospitals and private operators charging excess money towards transportation of patients, Odisha government on Monday fixed a slab on hiring charges.

The maximum hiring charges for Patient Transport Ambulance (PTA), Basic Life Support (BLS) ambulance and Advance Life Support (ALS) ambulance operating across the state as notified by the Commerce and Transport Department are as follows:

—The maximum hiring charges for the small size PTA vans like Maruti OMNI, Maruti Eeco and Tata Magic will be Rs 750 per call up to 10 km and Rs 30 per additional km beyond 10 km. The charges for vans with BLS are Rs 1,000 per call up to 10 km and Rs 30 per additional km exceeding 10 km.

— The maximum hiring charges for medium size PTA vans like Mahendra Bolero will be Rs 1,000 per call up to 10 km. Vans with BLS will charge Rs 1,500 per call up to 10 km and Rs 50 per additional km exceeding 10 km.

— The maximum hiring charges for the larger PTA vans like Tata Winger, Tata Force and Tata 407 will be Rs 1,250 per call up to 10 km. However, these vans with BLS and ALS will charge Rs 2,000 and Rs 3,000 per call up to 10 km respectively and Rs 50 per additional km beyond 10 km.

The proposed maximum rates include oxygen, ambulance Equipment, PPE kit, gloves, mask, face shield sanitisation, driver, emergency medical technician (where required)

For the administration of any medication (injectable/oral) including oxygen on-board, the additional cost is to be charged as per actual.

The notification further said the hiring charges for PTA, BLS and ALS ambulance shall be revised from time to time, based on changes in fuel prices in the state.

The Transport Commissioner is authorised to issue necessary order on the revision of hire charges of ambulances taking into account the increase/decrease in fuel prices as is being done for stage carriage buses.

Any deviation of the above hire charges shall be dealt under Section 72 read with Section 192A of Motor Vehicle Act, 1988.