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Losing patients with this lane

Lane A in Koregaon Park has been barricaded for security reasons, forcing those heading to Inlaks Budhrani Hospital for emergency treatment to take a longer route

Vijay Chavan/ Anurag Bende

Posted On Wednesday, September 08, 2010 at 02:35:38 AM

This roadblock forces people to take a longer route to reach the hospital

In a medical emergency, every second counts, but what does one do when a seemingly unnecessary roadblock forces vehicles carrying people in need of urgent medical care to travel an extra two kilometres to reach a hospital.

The roadblock on Lane A of Koregaon Park was set up by the Pune police after the German Bakery blast on February 13, 2010, but what started out as a security measure has now become a nightmare for those living in the lane and more importantly, patients trying to reach Inlaks Budhrani Hospital in an emergency situation.

What we don’t understand is why cops aren’t letting ambulances heading towards Inlaks Budhrani hospital use Lane A. Recently, a woman lost her life on the way to the hospital after she was not allowed to use the lane to get there.

After the German Bakery blast on February 13, the police imposed many restrictions in various parts of Koregaon Park. One of those restrictions included the closure of Lane A which opens out to North Main Road right in front of The O Hotel.

My aunt had a massive heart attack and needed emergency medical treatment. However, due to the roadblock, by the time the rickshaw could reach the hospital, it was too late. My aunt lost her life at the entrance of the hospital.”

— Santosh Alhat, whose aunt
couldn’t get to Inlaks Budhrani in time

I attend to at least five or six emergency cases in a day. Most of them are from east side of the city. Earlier we used Lane A because it was the most convenient and quickest route to the hospital. But now, the barricades block the road and we are instructed to use the longer route which is nearly two
kilometre extra.”

— Amit More,
ambulance driver

The police have put up barricades at the entrance of the lane at North Main Road, and only after an enquiry, are a few vehicles allowed to enter. On the South Main Road side, the lane is completely blocked off. No one is allowed to cross it... not even a dying woman.

Santosh Alhat a local resident, who lost his aunt Sarubai because of the lane’s closure, said, “Last month my aunt had a massive heart attack and needed emergency medical treatment.

My panicked wife managed to get her to sit in a rickshaw and headed towards Inlaks Budharani Hospital. However, due to the roadblock, by the time the rickshaw could reach the hospital, it was too late. My aunt lost her life at the entrance of the hospital.”

He angrily adds, “When each second is important for the life of a patient, a lot of time is wasted as patients are forced to take longer routes. If this time could have been saved, my aunt would have been alive.”

Confirming the incident, Varkha Adwani, the spokesperson of Inlaks Budhrani Hospital, said, “A woman lost her life just because she could not reach the hospital in time.

Such unfortunate incidents can happen in the future also. Our medical superintendent has already spoken with the police and Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) officials and requested them to reopen the lane. The hospital and the patients will be very happy if this is done.”

Amit More, an ambulance driver, said, “I attend to at least five or six emergency cases in a day. Most of them are from east side of the city.

Earlier, we used Lane A because it was the most convenient and quickest route to the hospital. But now, the barricades block the road and we are instructed to use the longer route which is nearly two kilometres extra. I have attended to many patients in emergency cases and I know that every second is important, in such cases.”

Each day, hundreds of patients are inconvenienced. but it’s not only the sick who are troubled by the lane’s closure. Visitors to those who reside in the bungalows and societies in the lane are also forced to take a longer route to reach their destinations.

Quite sick of going the extra mile, residents claim that six months after the blast they co-operated with the police in every possible way, but now it’s high time the police ease the situation and reopen the lane.

Dr Anita Maitra, a resident of Lane A says, “I have been staying here for the last several years and have not had any problems.

But after the road was closed, the police stop us and our guests, ask us to leave our vehicles outside the lane and walk inside. I feel this is totally unacceptable. It is an infringement of our rights to have barriers and checking on the public road leading to our property.”

Shop owner, Lakshmibai Debnath, said, “We have been running our business from this location for nearly 20 years now. Only after the closure of the lane, our business has gone down. Customers are stopped by the police and are not allowed to get their vehicles inside the lane.”

Yogesh Pingale, a social activist, said, “After the blast, we co-operated with the police. Now, there is lot of police presence in the area. We do not mind if they check people for security purposes.

But closing of this lane is not required. It does not help in normalising the situation in Koregaon Park. We have written several letters to the home ministry, the PMC and the Police Commissioner asking that the road be opened again.”

When Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic), Manoj Patil, was contacted regarding this issue, he defended his decision to block Lane A. He said, “The decision to close the lane was mine and was taken for security purposes. The road will remain closed.

However, local residents and patients will be allowed use the lane. Entry for others will be restricted and they should use alternate routes.”

He then added, “However, we have received complaints from various people staying around that area. Recently, we surveyed the stretch of the road and we will soon be taking a decision to throw the lane open for regular traffic. The signboard that instructs ambulances to use another route will be removed and they will be allowed to use Lane A in the next ten days.”

What makes Lane A so exclusive
Apart from the Inlaks Budhrani Hospital Lane A is the address for the Osho Commune, 15 residential bungalows, 15 housing societies and a shop.

The main reason for the lane’s closure is the Osho Commune, which a major international tourist attraction and therefore also a probable target for terrorists.

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