A Karnataka Lokayukta complaint has put emergency medical preparedness at Bengaluru’s Shivajinagar bus stand under scrutiny after a passenger who suffered a seizure reportedly waited more than 30 minutes before being taken to a healthcare facility.
The Lokayukta has registered a suo motu complaint against the Assistant Traffic Manager of the bus stand and directed the managing director of the Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) to examine the availability of medical and emergency facilities at all its bus stands.
According to a statement issued by the Lokayukta, the passenger was travelling from Ramamurthy Nagar to Shivajinagar when he suffered a seizure after the bus reached the terminal. BMTC staff reportedly took more than 30 minutes to get him to a healthcare facility.
The statement said Bowring and Lady Curzon Hospital and the Commercial Street police station were located near the bus stand. However, no Hoysala vehicle or ambulance was immediately available when the passenger required assistance.
A call was subsequently made to the emergency number 112. Police personnel then reached the bus stand and took charge of the passenger, according to the Lokayukta’s account.
The incident has raised concerns about the absence of adequate medical and emergency response arrangements at BMTC bus stands. The Lokayukta’s direction extends beyond Shivajinagar and asks the BMTC managing director to review facilities across the corporation’s bus-stand network and take appropriate action.
The complaint focuses on the response provided to the passenger and the responsibilities of staff at the terminal. It also brings emergency preparedness at public transport facilities into the scope of the Lokayukta’s examination.
The Lokayukta’s statement did not specify whether BMTC has a permanent medical facility, ambulance arrangement or formal emergency-response protocol in place at Shivajinagar bus stand. It also did not indicate what action the corporation would take following the directive.
The BMTC managing director has been asked to examine the availability of medical and emergency facilities at its bus stands. Further steps will depend on the corporation’s review and the action taken in response to the Lokayukta’s direction.
