Karnataka promises 750 GPS-enabled ambulances by December, Rs 3,000 fine for late arrival
Health Minister U T Khader said 750 ambulances with GPS tracking will join the state fleet by December and villages should be reached within 20 minutes.
Karnataka Health Minister U T Khader has said that 750 ambulances equipped with the latest technologies and GPS tracking will be added to the Health Department's fleet by December, according to a Deccan Herald report published on 29 October 2026.
Speaking in Kalaburagi on Wednesday, the minister said the government wants ambulances to reach villages within 20 minutes of being called. He added that a fine of Rs 3,000 will be levied if an ambulance fails to reach a village on time. The report does not say who would pay the fine or how delays would be measured.
The ambulance announcement came alongside other health plans described by the minister, including a dedicated healthcare policy for women and a push to make sure all taluk hospitals have an ICU with at least five beds, with telemedicine support where staff are short.
Why it matters for ambulance owners and drivers
- A 20-minute response target for villages, with a stated fine for delays, points to closer monitoring of response times.
- GPS tracking on the new fleet means ambulance movements are expected to be recorded.
- The details of how the fine and tracking will work were not given in the report, so owners and crews should watch for official orders.
Read the full report at the source: Deccan Herald
This is a summary written by the Ambulance Owner Association. The facts are from the source named above.