GURGAON: Vehicles that refuse to give way to an ambulance can be challaned from December 1, traffic police in the city have warned.Police said they decided to slap penalties on such motorists after it was found that ambulances remained stuck in traffic for long, delaying emergency treatment to patients in distress. Although Section 196E of the Motor Vehicles Act allows cops to impose a fine of Rs 10,000 on any vehicle blocking an ambulances way, the rule was hardly enforced in the city so far.It was in 2019 that the challan amount for the offence saw a steep rise from Rs 100 to Rs 10,000.DCP (traffic) Virender Vij said a vehicle should move to the extreme left of a road when it sees an ambulance approaching from behind. We will first educate commuters about this rule. From December 1, we will start slapping the fines, he told TOI.Virender Yadav, the chief medical officer, said ambulances needed to be given way because every minute was crucial for a patient in distress. An ambulance may be carrying a patient who may have suffered a heart attack and needs emergency treatment. This is a health emergency. A delay of even a few minutes can be fatal for the patient, he added.Ambulances, fire tenders, PCR vans and rescue cars are emergency vehicles equipped with sirens and flashlights. They are not required to stop at signals.There is a law that mandates free passage to ambulances, fire tenders or any other emergency vehicle. Other vehicles should move to the left of the road and must not block their path, said Manish Shandilya, a lawyer.Ambulance operators claimed there was lack of road discipline among most drivers. Most dont give ambulances the way unless we press the horn repeatedly. At traffic signals, an ambulance is stuck like any other vehicle, said Satish Yadav, an ambulance driver.Saurabh Sharma, a resident of Sector 40, agreed. Many a times, I have seen ambulances struggling hard to make their way out of the traffic mess. When it manages to do so, many drivers follow it so that they, too, get a free passage, he added.We also published the following articles recentlyIsrael takes responsibility for Gaza ambulance attackIsrael has admitted to targeting an ambulance near Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City. Witnesses reported casualties, with at least 15 people killed and 50 injured. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) claimed the ambulance was being used by a Hamas terrorist cell. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for a ceasefire and condemned the attack. The Palestine Red Crescent Society confirmed one of its ambulances was part of the convoy, but none of its team members were injured. The ICRC received a request to accompany the convoy but was not directly involved. Palestinians and Hamas denied Israels claim that the hospital is a Hamas command center.UN chief horrified by Israeli strike on Gaza ambulance convoyThe head of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, expressed horror at the Israeli strike on a convoy of ambulances in Gaza. He called for an immediate end to the conflict and described the humanitarian situation in Gaza as "horrific." Guterres emphasized the need for a ceasefire and the release of hostages taken by Hamas. He also called on all sides to respect international humanitarian law and protect civilians.Palestinian Red Crescent condemns Israeli strike on Gaza ambulance convoyThe Palestinian Red Crescent Society has condemned the targeting of ambulances in Gaza by Israeli forces, which resulted in the deaths of 15 people and injuries to over 60 others. The attack, which occurred near Al-Shifa hospital in Gaza City, has been labeled as a war crime by the PRCS. The UN Secretary-General also expressed his horror at the incident and called for an end to the conflict. Hamas denied that its fighters were inside the ambulances and stated that they were transporting the wounded. The ongoing conflict has caused damage to hospitals and a shortage of fuel, endangering the lives of patients.

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