State’s new ambulance policy to rein in arbitrary pricing

Maharashtra Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik announced a proposed state ambulance policy on Saturday.

The policy, drafted by the Motor Vehicles Department, introduces uniform pricing norms and monitors response times.

It mandates every registered ambulance to publish rates on a mobile app, with estimated fares based on the AIS-125 code.

The app will show nearest ambulance, arrival time, onboard medical facilities, and operator details, plus digital receipts.

The policy includes first-aid guidance with illustrated instructions for CPR, bleeding, burns, and accident handling.