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Instead of a fully equipped cardiac ambulance, as is the protocol for VVIPS, this ramshackle one was sent with Rahul Gandhi's convoy
Someone up there was watching over Rahul Gandhi and his posse in Mumbai yesterday, which was just as well. The ambulance accompanying Rahul's convoy was ramshackle, ill-equipped and proved just how flippantly the St George Hospital took the Congress leader's visit.
In poor health: St George Hospital sent this 13-year-old ambulance
with just one general practitioner
While the hospital was told specifically to send an Omni vehicle as ambulance, a 13-year-old Canter (ambulance used to transport patients with no emergency medical equipment) was sent in its place.
The ambulance (MH-01-H-7321) was to be a part of the convoy that would have accompanied Gandhi to Ghatkopar and back to the helipad. However, officials from the protection branch told MiD DAY that the  ambulance did not even have a mandatory zero defect certification from the General Transport Service (GTS) and Motor Transport (MT) of Mumbai police. And the worst was that only a general physician and four other non-medical staff were sent with the ambulance for the high profile leader.
After the episode came to light, a high level inquiry was put in place and the JJ hospital dean summoned the doctor for an explanation.
Rahul was to take a helicopter after the Bhaidas programme to the Godrej helipad in Vikhroli, and then to Ramabai Ambedkar Nagar in Ghatkopar (E), but the schedule changed at the last moment and he took a train instead.
VOICES
Kripashankar Singh, Mumbai Regional Congress Committee President:
"This is not a film shoot, wherein any dummy vehicle could be a part of a VIP convoy. I will take up the matter with the Chief Minister and will request him to conduct a high level probe. I will also ensure that all VVIP convoy follow all mandatory norms."
Joint Commissioner of Police (law and order) Himanshu Roy:
"In every VVIP bandobast duty, each and every department concerned (police, BMC, special branch and other government agencies etc) have their roles defined and they are expected to follow the norms laid as per the protocol."
Rahul ka bandobast
21,500 Number of police deployed for the security of Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi
3 Number of joint commissioners on duty
8 Number of DCPs
16 Number of ACPs
| The protocol |
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A well-equipped cardiac ambulance with cardiac physician, surgeon, anesthetist, paramedical staff and ward boys need to accompany the VVIP convoy to handle any medical emergency during VIP movement. |
| The Other Side |
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What Superintendent says:
Chandrakant Gaikwad, St George Superintendent, admitted that they did not have a cardiac ambulance and confessed that this was his first experience of handling VVIP movement. "We were informed at the last moment and we did what we could in that time." When asked the reason for not sending a better vehicle, he said, "The one we sent was the biggest ambulance we had." | | 
