The BTP also ensured in 2023 that 37,716 ambulance trips had right-of-way clearance and that they were not stuck in traffic.
Published Jan 05, 2024 | 6:39 PM ⚊ Updated Jan 05, 2024 | 6:42 PM
Human Organs - Representative Photograph
The Bengaluru Traffic Police (BTP) facilitated a total of 22 green corridors in the year 2023 for the transport of vital human organs from hospitals where they were harvested from donors to the hospitals where recipients received the organs.
Green corridors are zero-traffic special routes that are managed in a way that all the traffic signals from the hospital where an organ is harvested and the hospital where it is to be transplanted are made green and controlled manually by the traffic police.
Thus, all the red signals on the way are skipped, thereby speeding up the travel time by several minutes — enough to save someone’s life.
The concept of green corridors has been in use since 2014 in India. Besides organs, they are also used to transport critically ill or critically injured patients
22 Green Corridors facilitated by BTP in 2023
The Bengaluru traffic police expedited green corridors for five critically ill patients — including infants — who were being transported from one hospital to another in the city for transplant surgeries during 2023.
At least four separate head-injury patients were transported to hospitals through such routes last year.
The city’s traffic police also facilitated green corridors for nine hearts (including one live heart), two livers, two lungs, and one small bowel to be transported in zero traffic from the donor hospital to the transplant hospital.
The longest Green Corridor was on 24 August from the Sakra World Hospital in Bengaluru to the Kempegowda International Airport, where a pair of lungs were transported in zero traffic for about 42 kilometres.
The ambulance reached the airport in 38 minutes, a senior traffic police officer said.
Organ Donors Representative Photo
“All vital human organs that are to be transported from donor hospitals to hospitals for transplant and the routes would be informed to us in advance,” Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic) MN Anucheth told South First.
“The highest priority is given to the transportation of hearts,” he noted.
Bengaluru, as one of the biggest metropolitan cities in India, houses more state-of-the-art multispeciality hospitals than its peers.
The duration required for heart transport from the donor hospital to the recipient hospital is very short and requires immediate transport without much delay.
It is also the place where more heart transplants are carried out, according to Karnataka Health Department.
Ambulance trips ensured right-of-way clearance by BTP
Besides this, the Bengaluru Traffic Police were instrumental in the year 2023 in providing around 37,716 ambulance trips with right-of-way clearance and ensuring that they were not stuck in traffic en route.
This was as and when the hospitals or patients intimated the control room or the traffic police department.
“The traffic police have been sensitised to give more priority to the movement of ambulances in the city,” said BTP officials.
“If the origin and the destination are provided on 112 or the 108 helpline, the traffic police will ensure unhindered movement of ambulance to the point of destination,” they added.
