When Radhika Shastry, owner of Café Diem in Coonoor, came across Vivek Tankha’s electric auto ambulance project on social media, she immediately contacted him. “I was inspired by the post, and thought the Nilgiris should have such facilities. But I asked for customisation as the ambulances have to be robust enough to manoeuvre the hills.”
Radhika Shastry
She co-ordinated with Baldeep Singh Maini in Jabalpur and started working for over a month to build a fleet of six 470-CC Bajaj Maximas remodelled as ‘AmbuRx’ or auto ambulances, each costing ₹3.5 lakh. Radhika raised funds along with patrons of her cafe. “While my sister and I contributed towards buying one, the remaining funds came from philanthropists who visited my cafe. I quickly placed orders for autos and the fabrication work began.”
The fabricated interiors of AmbuRx ambulance
The ‘AmbuRx’ is a basic ambulance that can be used to transport non-critical patients from one point to another, she says. Besides a stretcher and a seat for the attender, each is fitted with an oxygen cylinder, a medical kit, fire extinguishers and fans. “It’s diesel-operated and we have extended the length to accommodate the stretcher. The driver cabinet is separated from the patient’s segment.”
The autos will be donated to six different organisations. “We wanted to hand it over to people who can maintain and run it efficiently in the long run,” says Radhika. It will be deployed at private and public hospitals including Ketti Government Hospital, Pushpa Hospital in Coonoor and and Kotagiri Medical Fellowship Hospital. Beneficiaries also include 3-Star Ambulance Services, which offers free services for the needy, and Kinder Trust in Wellington that works with the differently-abled and children.
Auto ambulance can be used to transport non-critical patients from remote areas
“It’s not a myopic, COVID-19 driven project but a long-term infrastructure building project that aims to enhance the medical infrastructure,” says Radhika. “An ambulance can always be used beyond COVID-19 times. It ensures that people requiring medical treatment in remote parts of Coonoor and Udhagamandalam can be taken to hospital quickly.”
