Uttarakhand: Long traffic jams at tourist hotspots delaying medical help, causing deaths
Dehradun, Long traffic jams in and around major tourist hotspots and pilgrimage centers in Uttarakhand are hindering timely medical assistance, resulting in preventable deaths.
Recently, at least two fatalities occurred within four days due to delays in medical care caused by extensive traffic congestion.
On June 9, a 40-year-old man from Nainital lost his life after the ambulance transporting him to the hospital was stuck for hours in a traffic jam near Kainchi Dham, a popular religious site frequented by followers of Baba Neem Karori.
Jagmohan Singh was being taken to a hospital in Haldwani in an ambulance after vomiting blood but the vehicle got stuck near Kainchi Dham and by the time he reached the hospital it was too late.
Doctors declared him dead when he finally arrived at the hospital after a journey of over five hours which usually takes two hours, his relatives said.
He could have been saved if the ambulance had not got stuck in the jam, his relative Labhanshu Pinari said.
Just four days earlier, on June 5, an elderly man from Delhi died after being caught in a massive traffic jam in Mussoorie while he was being taken to the hospital.
Kamal Kishore Tandon, 62, had travelled to Mussoorie for vacation and unexpectedly fell ill. His family was unable to secure timely medical assistance due to a lack of available ambulances and severe traffic congestion.
Despite being escorted by the police in their private car, Tandon's family took over an hour to cover less than 4km to the nearest medical facility in Landour where doctors declared him dead, his nephew Arjun Kapoor said.
Both incidents have raised concerns among residents regarding the government's preparedness to manage the significant influx of tourists during the summer months.
"It is not the first time that people have died after getting stranded in traffic jams in Uttarakhand. Unfortunately, such deaths are reported almost every year during the tourist season. But authorities refuse to learn.
"They must take steps to tone up the emergency response and traffic management systems. They must also create infrastructure which is capable of handling the rush of tourists and pilgrims," Prakash Dobhal, a resident of the Dharampur area in Dehradun said.
Social activist Anoop Nautiyal suggested the introduction of bike ambulances as first responders.
"They can weave through traffic, reach patients faster, and buy those precious few minutes that can save a life. The golden hour is critical in case of medical emergencies," Nautiyal, who also runs an NGO called Social Development for Communities, said.
"We urgently need to ask ourselves if our systems are ready to respond when lives are at stake in a traffic jam," he said.
Nautiyal further suggested addressing known bottlenecks in tourist hotspots like Mussoorie, Nainital, Rishikesh, Joshimath and the Char Dham Yatra routes to prevent long traffic jams.
"Regulation is needed to manage the traffic mess. The tendency to overtake among drivers should be checked. Bad roads should be repaired without delay and strict action should be taken against traffic rule violators," he said.
"The government's only focus seems to be on getting more and more tourists and devotees whereas the emphasis should be on how to create an infrastructure capable of dealing with the rush," Nautiyal said.
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