The State Government has extended the contract of the GVK EMRI Company to operate the fleet of the 108 emergency ambulance service by one more month. This decision was taken by the health department after the new company which has been handed over the contract to operate the fleet of 108 service and was to start its services from April 1, informed the government that it is not prepared yet to take charge of the operations.
It is pertinent to mention here that the ten year contract of GVK- EMRI Company to operate the fleet of ambulances ended in March, 2018. Since then the state government has given two extensions of six months each to the company to operate the fleet of ambulances. The extended term of the GVK- EMRI Company ended on midnight of March 7, 2019 but since the new company ‘Community Action and Motivation Programme’ (CAMP) which had quoted cheapest rate in the tender process was not ready to operate the service, the contract of GVK EMRI was again extended till end of March. Now with CAMP again submitting in written that it is not in the position to operate the service, the health department has given an extension of one month again to GVK EMRI.
Started in the year 2008, the 108 ambulance service is provides emergency care in all parts of the state. The service also caters the important task of transporting pregnant women for safe deliveries in the hospital under Khushiyon Ki Savari. The 108 ambulance service has a fleet 139 ambulances and it has a boat ambulance too which is operated in Tehri lake.