Murukan effect: Trauma care is now on bikes

KOLLAM: In the wake of the death of Tirunelveli native Murukan in an ambulance after he was denied treatment at various hospitals in Kollam and Thiruvananthapuram earlier this week, the Kollam traffic police has taken up initiatives to ensure on-the-spot assistance to accident victims.  As many as four motorcycles will be in patrol in the City with an aim of ensuring emergency medical aid to road accident victims by coordinating with nearby hospitals. The team that has been named as ART (accident response team) will have two policemen each in four motorcycles going to the aid of accident victims. 

The official inauguration of ART was conducted by Kollam City Police Commissioner Ajeetha Beegum IPS at the Kollam railway  station here on Thursday.  The team will act in accordance with the messages passed from the Kollam traffic police station and the Police Control Room. The four motorcycles have been named serially starting from ART 1 which will cover the area stretching from Chinnakkada to Raman-kulangara, while ART 2 will cover Chinnakkada to Mevaram along the National Highway.  ART 3 is responsible for the area covering from Sarathy Junction to Town limit, the stretch that experiences the highest traffic density in the city, falling under Kilikolloor police division.  

The area under Ramankulangara to Chavara will be covered by ART 4. District Crime Branch DySP A. Ashokan is the nodal officer of the Accident Response Team. “These patrolling vehicles will be the first to reach the spot in case of emergencies including accidents. The primary responsibility of these teams includes alerting various centres including hospitals and requesting for ambulances to ensure immediate medical attention for the victims. The team will ensure the victim reaches hospital at the earliest, even if ambulance service is delayed,” H. Shanavas, Assistant Sub Inspector, District Crime Branch, told Deccan Chronicle.  The public in case of emergency can contact the ART team in the numbers 100, 1090, 1091, 9846100100, and 9497930863 within city limits.