Thiruvananthapuram, August 29: Ambulances in Kerala are set to receive GPS-based vehicle location tracking devices in view of complaints alleging illegal use of such medically equipped vehicles for drug smuggling and ferreting away criminals, the state government said on Monday.

State Transport Minister Antony Raju said that a meeting of all stakeholders, including concerned officials and representatives of Indian Medical Association, ambulance owners and ambulance drivers, was held in November last year to discuss measures to regulate operation of such vehicles.

In that meeting it was decided that ambulances should be mandatorily equipped with GPS-based vehicle location tracking devices which in turn were to be linked with the 'Suraksha Mitr' software, he said in the Assembly. Onam 2022: Kerala Government Announces Bonus of Rs 4,000, Festival Advance of Rs 20,000 for Employees Ahead of Festivities.

Raju was responding to a submission by LDF MLA Saji Cheriyan alleging increase in illegal use of private ambulances in the state, exorbitant rates being charged by them, poor behaviour towards patients by the drivers, etc.

Cheriyan asked what the government was going to do regarding the issue.

Responding to the submission and query, the minister said the Transport Commissioner was tasked with the job of coming out with a regulation on the body colour of these ambulances, what should be written on them and the kind of lighting they should use.

Besides that a fare revision committee was also asked to fix the rates to be charged by these vehicles and the panel has given a report which is being examined, he said. Based on the report further steps would be taken, the minister said.

The Kerala High Court has on several occasions questioned whether the ambulances seen speeding around on the state's roads are actually carrying patients or going to an emergency site or were they being used for some other purpose.

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