Private ambulances at KGH accused of overcharging families

Families of patients at King George Hospital (KGH) are facing steep ambulance charges. Private operators are allegedly demanding up to ₹12,000 to transport bodies and ₹6,000 for discharged patients, prompting calls to regulate fares and ambulance operations.

KGH receives about 4,000 outpatients a day and has nearly 2,000 inpatients. Families of discharged patients, and of those who die during treatment, often depend on private ambulances to reach their native places.

Under the Maha Prasthanam scheme, bodies can be transported free of cost to destinations within 100 km. However, the service is reportedly unavailable for several long-distance destinations, forcing families to rely on private operators.

For journeys beyond 100 km, operators allegedly charge ₹8,000 to ₹12,000 to transport a body. Families also allege that ambulances from outside the hospital are prevented from entering the premises, leaving them with little option but to accept the fares quoted by operators.

Discharged patients are reportedly charged ₹3,000 to ₹6,000 for distances of 20 km to 50 km, which families say is two to three times the usual rate.

Private ambulance operators around KGH are also alleged to function as an informal syndicate and to discourage ambulances from other areas from picking up patients.

Around 50 private ambulances are reportedly parked between the KGH entrance and the casualty gate. Those parked along the main road are said to obstruct traffic, but the issue has not been effectively addressed.

Families have urged the hospital administration and police to regulate ambulance fares, prevent overcharging, and allow outside ambulances to pick up patients. They have also sought greater availability of government ambulance services for long-distance journeys.