Karnataka High Court Suggests Manufacturers Should Fix GPS System In All Ambulances

A division bench of Chief Justice Prasanna B Varale and Justice Ashok S Kinagi said,

"We would also like to suggest to the state government to give directions to manufacturers operating in Karnataka— ambulances, to fix the GPS system in ambulances as a prerequisite."

The bench was hearing a PIL filed by Bharat Punarutthana Trust, seeking directions to Regional Transport Authority to fix all existing and future Ambulances (governmental/ Non-governmental) with Global Positioning System (GPS).

Today, the Court was informed that the State government had issued a circular in March 2020, directing all regional authorities to verify whether the GPS equipment are fixed or not and to submit monthly progress report every month to the Transport and Regional Road Safety Officers.

"If that is so we would like to seek response from the government that till date how many such reports were submitted to the Commissioner, Transport and road safety Bengaluru, in response to circular dated 4-03-2020," the bench remarked,

It also sought to know that if such reports were indeed submitted, whether the Commissioner maintains the data. "If such data is maintained the mode of storing the data, whether manual or digital. If the commissioner on perusal of data or report found that in spite of the directions either government ambulances or private ambulances failed to take steps for fixing the GPS equipment to the vehicles–Ambulance, what steps are taken against such erring ambulances, if they are operated by private owners. If they are government ambulances, whether any communication is forwarded to the authority under whose control these ambulances are made operational/functional."

The bench also directed the government to submit details about whether any specific circulars are issued by the competent transport authorities or is there any amendment in prescribed rules so as to seek compliance of fixation of GPS system when the vehicle is registered with transport authority in pursuance of the government communication dated 4-03-2022.

The PIL filed in 2020 also seeks setting up of "Ambulance Traffic Control room" in all districts and to connect all ambulances with the Control Room.

The court has now directed the state government to file a compliance report in view of the above referred directions in three weeks and has posted the matter for further hearing on December 2.

Case Title: BHARAT PUNARUTTHANA TRUST v. THE GOVERNMENT OF KARNATAKA & Others.

Case NO: WP 6073/2020