MADURAI: Patients and their relatives raise concerns over the sudden breakdown of 108 ambulances during emergency trips to hospitals in Madurai over the last six months, alleging that poor maintenance of the vehicles could put lives at risk.
Rajeswari, a relative of a patient, said, “My father experienced chest pain three months back, and after calling the 108 ambulance service, we were taken to Thiruparankundram Government Hospital, which is only 4 km away. However, during the journey, we noticed that the vehicle was shaking more than usual. Initially, we did not consider this a serious issue, but later we discovered that the vehicle had not been properly serviced.”
A 108 ambulance driver also recalled an incident in May, when his vehicle developed a mechanical issue while transporting a patient from Vadipatti to Government Rajaji Hospital (GRH) in Madurai. He added that a mechanic friend later identified several issues, including low transmission fluid, a malfunctioning shifter interlock, a worn cable and a faulty clutch. These problems were largely attributed to a lack of maintenance. Despite raising complaints to the service association, no maintenance was done, he alleged.
Former COITU-108 Ambulance Workers Union (Madurai) president T Sivakumar said vehicle wobbling, breakdowns and engine failures were caused by the lack of regular maintenance and servicing.
“EMRI Green Health Services, which handles the 108 ambulance service, is postponing maintenance activities such as oil changes. This can lead to dirt accumulation and sludge formation, eventually resulting in more extensive and expensive repairs, including engine failure. Poor maintenance also increases fuel consumption,” he said. Currently, only 49 ambulances are allocated to Madurai district.
Responding to the concerns, K J Ramkumar, district manager of EMRI Green Health Services, said the organisation did not compromise on scheduled servicing and followed different maintenance procedures based on the distance covered by each vehicle.
“We offer various types of maintenance services, including Scheduled Service One (SS1) and Scheduled Service Two (SS2). Under SS1, we carry out engine oil changes and general repairs for vehicles that have travelled 20,000 km. SS2 is meant for vehicles that have exceeded 40,000 km and includes the replacement of gear oil, crown oil and grease,” he said.
He added that tyre rotation and wheel alignment were also carried out as part of maintenance. In the event of an emergency breakdown, a replacement vehicle was provided immediately, he said.
“Occasionally, vehicles may miss their scheduled services and travel an additional 1,000 to 2,000 km. However, when a vehicle approaches 19,000 km, we ensure that maintenance is carried out,” Ramkumar said.
