Bengaluru: The 108 free ambulance service launched on November 1, 2008 is all set to witness a major makeover. If state health department succeeds in its plans then in next few days one 108 ambulance service will be available for the use of general public within the radius of every 10-15 kms across the state.

According to a survey carried out by the state health department last year, 2000 ambulances were required to provide ambulance service with in the radius of 10-15 kms across the state. But health department only has 711 ambulances under 108 scheme making it impossible to improve the ambulance services as desired.

Hence, now according to the latest proposal approved by both state government and health department, all the government ambulances will be brought under the ambit of 108 service. This includes 447 state ambulances, 200 Nagu Magu ambulances, JSV ambulances (180), back up vehicles (43), old ambulances (70) beside the proposal to procure new 367 new ambulances making the grand total of available government ambulances in the state to 2018. “This allows the health department to provide ambulance service in 10-15 kilo meter radius,” explained an officer.

“An order bringing all the ambulances under 108 service ambit was issued on January 10, 2017. Now process has started across all the districts over merging the services,” he said.