Bengaluru ambulance gaps: Karnataka's 108 service policy shifts again, DH report says

A Deccan Herald report published on 10 October looks at gaps in Bengaluru's public and private ambulance services. It says government ambulances serve only government hospitals for free, while private ambulances face concerns over pricing and hygiene.

The 108 service

According to the report, the Arogya Kavacha 108 service, operated by EMRI Green Health Services, has suffered from poor maintenance and delayed salaries. Bengaluru had 89 ambulances, of which officials said around 60 were operational. In May 2026, a government-owned centralised command and control centre began operating after the Health Department took over the service. The report says it handles more than 8,000 calls daily.

In September 2026, Health Minister U T Khader said the Cabinet approved a new policy to hand 108 operations to private operators through tendering. The proposal sets response-time targets of 10 minutes in rural areas and 15 to 20 minutes in urban areas, with penalties of Rs 5,000 to Rs 10,000 for failing them.

Private ambulances and bike responders

The report says Bengaluru's private operators reportedly run between 2,000 and 2,500 vehicles. It also covers a private hospital's recently launched bike first-responder units. An ambulance association official said bike units cannot transport most patients and mainly help in heavy traffic until a regular ambulance arrives.

Why it matters for ambulance owners and drivers

• Operating terms for 108 are changing again, with response-time penalties proposed.
• Union representatives cited in the report said pay and job security remain concerns for 108 crews.