mid-day investigation: Private ambulances in Mumbai triple their rates with increasing load of Covid-19 deaths

Yedoba Janseva Sanstha’s ambulance operated by Deepak Shah

With the increasing load of cases, hospitalisations and deaths due to Covid-19, private ambulance services have been operating at three to four times the normal prices, a mid-day investigation has found. Those who provide material for final rites, too, have also tripled their rates. Posing as relatives of Covid-19 deceased, mid-day spoke to ambulance service providers in the city for a ground report. While the operators are charging anything between Rs 3,000 and Rs 6,000, the charges fixed by the RTO range from Rs 700 to Rs 1,190 for various models of vehicles. The prices are for a distance of 25 km.

Distraught relatives of Covid-19 patients often don't bargain with operators and agree to pay what they demand. File pic

Service providers were also found offering ‘packages' including ambulance services, PPE kits, carrying the body and material for rituals. Some of the ambulance operators have tied up with sellers of the ritual material. Operators in south Mumbai refused to give their names but offered visiting cards with relevant contact numbers. With government and civic services already overburdened, people have little choice but to turn to private operators.

Bhagwati hospital, Dahisar

The ambulance service here costs Rs 5,500, including final rites kit, for a distance of 5-6 km (Dahisar to Dahanukarwadi Smashan Bhoomi in Kandivli). The service is managed by ambulance driver Deepak Shah using an ambulance of Yedoba Janseva Sanstha.

Deepak Shah

mid-day approached Shah outside Bhagwati hospital at 1 pm on Wednesday posing as relatives of a Covid-19 patient who died at Bhagwati hospital. "We will charge Rs 5,500. Workers will wear PPE kits. The ambulance will have two staffers to handle the body," Shah said.

When mid-day asked about the high rates, Shah said, "We would also be at risk, PPEs are costly. We will also carry the body till the crematorium. You don't have to touch the body, we will take all the risk."

Rs 5,500
Price quoted for 5-6 km

Shatabdi hospital, Kandivli

The ambulance provider here quoted Rs 3,500 for 2 km (Shatabdi hospital to Dahanukarwadi Smashan Bhoomi). The service is run by an MNS union leader, Vishal.

Seller of final rites material; (right) MNS union leader Vishal who manages the ambulances outside Shatabdi hospital

Vishal told mid-day, "We have 15-20 ambulances operating under the union. We assign work in turns so that everyone gets to earn. The charges are Rs 3,500, the crematorium is 10 minutes away. The ambulance staff will wear PPE kits and do all the work."

After bargaining, Vishal agreed to charge Rs 3,000. He also introduced mid-day to a man, who did not identify himself, selling final rites kits. "You will get two bamboos, chatai, rope, two earthen pots, kurmura and other things needed for final rites. You don't have to touch the body, we will do it along with the ambulance staff."

Rs 3,500
Price quoted for 2 km

Sion hospital

Ganesh Ambulance & Hearse Service near Sion hospital quoted Rs 3,000 for a distance of 7 km (BKC to Shivaji Park).

The operator of Ganesh Ambulance & Hearse Service

mid-day approached the ambulance operator and enquired about the charges to transport a body from the BKC Jumbo Covid-19 Centre to Shivaji Park. The operator handed mid-day a visiting card, asked about when the service is required and quoted Rs 3,000. After bargaining, the operator agreed to reduce the charge by Rs 500.

"The cost has increased as we have to sanitise the ambulance after every assignment. This adds to the cost. I cannot reduce the cost further. The additional cost is for the risk taken by my employees in ferrying the bodies. They don't have insurance or help from the hospital or government," the operator said.

Rs 3,000
Price quoted for 7 km

Cooper hospital, Vile Parle

Here the ambulance provider quoted Rs 3,500 for a 2-km distance (Cooper hospital to Andheri East Smashan Bhoomi) plus a waiting charge of Rs 500/hour. Posing as a relative of a Covid-19 deceased, mid-day approached Cardiac Ambulance service inside Cooper hospital.

Ambulance operator Chaand

The operator of the service, who identified himself as only Chaand, said, "There is a waiting period at the smashan bhoomi.

Cardiac Ambulance service inside Cooper hospital

Taking the body from the hospital to the crematorium will cost Rs 3,500. The waiting period will cost you extra - Rs 500/hour." When mid-day informed Chaand that the waiting period was five hours, he quote Rs 2,500 for the same.

Rs 3,500
Price quoted for 2 km

JJ hospital, Nagpada

Sonu Ambulance service provider outside JJ hospital quoted Rs 3,200 for a 3 km distance (Kasturba hospital to Worli). mid-day posed as the relative of a deceased Covid-19 patient at Kasturba hospital.

The operator of Sonu Ambulance

In Sonu Ambulance's service, the operator said there would be a team of four men accompanying the deceased to the crematorium. "You don't have to handle the body, everything will be handled by my staff. We normally charge Rs 500 for each of the staff members. Since you have approached me, their cost would be Rs 300. Rest of the cost would be for the ambulance," said the ambulance operator.

When asked if the staff would wear PPE kits, the operator said, "They are fearless, they don't wish to wear the kits though I always keep them in the ambulance. If I ask them to wear PPE kits, they said they are anyway dealing with Covid-19 patients day in and day out and are likely to get infected. Forget PPE kits, they don't even wear gloves."

The operator suggested that the family follow the ambulance in a taxi and that they can watch the rituals from a distance. He asked for the payment first before sending the ambulance.

When this reporter was leaving from the spot, another ambulance came running. "Are you looking for an ambulance? How much did he [Sonu Ambulance] quote?" When mid-day told him of the price, the man said, "I can offer my ambulance with similar services for Rs 2,500," the man said, before giving his visiting card and leaving.

Rs 3,200
Price quoted for 3 km

Hinduja hospital, Mahim

Ambulance service provider Patil Ambulance quoted Rs 3,000 for a distance of 7 km (BKC to Sion) and a waiting charge of Rs 500/hour. The waiting period at the crematoriums usually goes up to four to five hours.

Patil Ambulance's vehicle near Sion hospital

The operator of Patil Ambulance said that there are long queues at crematoriums. Giving a break up of the cost, the operator said, "The driver's share is Rs 500 for the driver, the attendant's share is Rs 500 and Rs 250 for each of their PPE kits. Rest of the money is for the ambulance."

The operator of Patil Ambulance

The operator also added that the ambulance would wait for only 30 minutes outside the hospital before the hourly waiting charges would start. Handing mid-day a visiting card, the operator said to call him only a few minutes before the body is released from the hospital.

Rs 3,000
Price quoted for 7 km

Materials for rituals cost three times the pre-Covid-19 price

Asif's stall for final rites material

Outside Cooper hospital, mid-day spoke to the proprietor of Shakti Pooja Antvidhi shop which was selling final rites kits. The seller named Asif quoted the price of each kit at Rs 1,800 and another Rs 400 for each bottle of ghee.

Asif said, "Rs 1,800 for a kit is reasonable. I will give you chaddar, bamboos, gulab Jal, chatai, cloth to wrap the body, kunku, two earthen pots and other things." During pre-Covid-19 times, such kits would cost only Rs 500-600.

Voices

Sunita Bheda, Bhayandar resident

‘My Covid-19 infected father was admitted to Chirayu Superspeciality Hospital in Mira Road. The doctors asked us to shift him to a Covid-19 centre so we decided to go to SevenHills Hospital. The ambulance service referred to us charged Rs 4,000. People going through tough times don't think of bargaining and operators take advantage of the situation'

Chetan Patel, Malad resident

‘I was charged Rs 3,000 for less than 1 km. We had to shift my sister-in-law from Ganesha hospital, Borivli to Sanjeevani hospital, Malad. In another instance, we had to shift her from Karuna hospital, Borivli to Sanjeevani. The ambulance operator charged Rs 6,000 for 2.5 km. We are able to manage during a crisis but what about people with no incomes? They'd die paying'

Prafful Sarda, Pune

'I paid Rs 3,500 to the ambulance of the hospital, Ruby Hall clinic, to go from Koregaon park in Pune to the hospital, which is a distance of less than 1 km. My cousin had tested positive and needed immediate hospitalisation, we had no other choice. Despite being a charitable hospital, they are charging such high rates'

Rs 700
Lower limit of govt-approved rate for ambulances (25km)

Rs 1,190
Upper limit of govt-approved rate for ambulances (25km)