Blinkit to charge Rs 2,500 for non-emergency ambulance trips; emergency runs stay free

Blinkit, owned by Eternal Limited, will charge a flat fee of Rs 2,500 for non-emergency ambulance bookings, while emergency transfers will continue to be free, according to an announcement by Eternal founder Deepinder Goyal on X on 5 November 2026.

Goyal said the service has handled about 42,000 cases over the past two years, including nearly 20,000 emergency runs, without charging patients. He said a growing share of bookings were for routine uses such as doctor consultations, check-ups and hospital-to-home trips, which tie up a fully equipped ambulance that urgent cases may need.

• The non-emergency fee is collected after the trip, as reported.
• Goyal said the amount is broadly in line with what private ambulances charge.
• The money will go to the Eternal Foundation, which runs the ambulances, to help expand the service.

Online reactions were mixed, with some users arguing that ambulance services should stay free in all situations, according to a report by NewsGram.

Why it matters for ambulance owners and drivers

The move shows how a large operator is separating emergency from non-emergency transfers and pricing the latter at a level it describes as comparable to private ambulance rates.