On Thursday evening, a patient was brought to Poona Hospital on a stretcher due to an ambulance being stuck. This incident highlights ongoing challenges in emergency medical transport in the area.
Under Section 194E of the Motor Vehicles Act, obstructing an ambulance can draw a fine of up to Rs10,000 and potential imprisonment of up to six months. Because of the large sound box setup blocking the way, both the patient and the relatives had to face a tough situation. You Can Also Check: Gold Rate in Pune | Silver Rate in Pune | Bank Holidays in Pune | Public Holidays in Pune | Petrol Price in Pune | Diesel Price in Pune | CNG Price in Pune | LPG Price in Pune Stay updated with the latest Pune news.
“We heard the siren and immediately scanned the crowd to see where to make room,” recalled Erandwane’s Priyanka Shukla, present on Laxmi Road then with her colleagues. Everyone understands that while celebration matters, human life comes first,” she said. This is hardly unprecedented — time and again, Pune’s crowds have instinctively parted to grant emergency vehicles right of way during Visarjan,” said Abhishek Kulkarni, an entrepreneur from Sadashiv Peth. Eyewitnesses said as the entire episode unravelled, no police personnel were seen at the spot.
Pune: The immersion day and preparations on the eve of the D-Day mirrored the fine line between remarkable civic coordination and perilous urban gridlock. “Volunteers and police personnel cleared the path in a flash. People cooperated without hesitation. The swift reaction reflects Pune’s tradition of public mindfulness amid the chaos. “When people are on foot, moving quickly becomes intuitive. A few metres away, another ambulance found its path completely obstructed outside Poona Hospital on the eve of the immersion day. A mandal’s soundbox-laden trolley and chariot did not budge from the health hub’s main entrance. The situation was a reminder of safety hazards during the peak of celebrations. Fortunately, the patient was not in need of oxygen. TOI ’s calls to senior inspector Navnath Jagtap of Vishrambaug police station went unanswered. Download the TOI App.
With no way for the emergency vehicle and precious minutes ticking away, medical personnel wheeled the patient through the immersion enthusiasts on a stretcher on Thursday evening.
The city witnessed an inspiring display of collective responsibility near Alka Talkies Chowk, where grand chariots of Shrimant Dagdusheth Halwai and Kasba Ganapati mandals drew thousands. As the sound of the siren of an approaching ambulance pierced through the festive din, dhol-tasha players briefly paused their cadence and swiftly maneuvered their heavy drums aside.
Within seconds, thousands of devotees pressed against the footpaths, carving a temporary corridor for the ambulance to speed through seamlessly before the procession resumed.