Obstructing the path of an ambulance on the city roads will now attract legal action and a fine of Rs 2,000 no less.

"All a hospital has to do is report to us the vehicle number, date and time of violation and proof, if any," special commissioner of police (traffic) Muktesh Chander said, after the department issued a circular on Tuesday. "We will verify the facts and issue legal notice if the charges are proved. Defaulters will have to pay a fine of Rs 2,000." Chander said he would write to all hospitals and request them to share information about errant drivers.

Emergency vehicles — ambulances, fire engines and police patrol vehicles — have the overriding right of way over all motorized traffic on the extreme right lane of all major roads. Most ambulance drivers agree that the rule is rarely followed which leads to loss of precious time in transporting critically ill patients to hospital. Several die on the way after being held up in traffic.

Chander said the department had written to the state health department and the Union health ministry to sensitize ambulance drivers on the legal provisions. "The letter was sent on September 8 last year, but we did not get any feedback. So now we have decided to contact all hospitals directly," he said.

Exactly how bad the situation is was revealed by a nugget in the data collated by the Centralised Accidents and Trauma Services (CATS) in Delhi: between May and December last year, at least 26 women had to deliver their babies in the ambulance because they could not reach hospital in time. While most deliveries went off smoothly, thanks to the paramedical staff on board, TOI came across at least one case where the child died later due to complications during birth.

"It happened on August 22. My wife was in the seventh month of her pregnancy when she complained about labour pain. We called for an ambulance around 5am to rush her to Safdarjung Hospital. But she had to delivery midway," said Ritesh Kumar, a resident of Lal Kuan near Okhla. He said the child died later at the hospital due to complications. Kumar, a tailor, said the ambulance did not have adequate equipment, including ventilator support.

Source: TOI