Karnataka drivers pool savings to buy Rs 12 lakh ambulance
The Navodaya Auto-rickshaw Drivers and Owners Association will provide free emergency transport for two villages in Bantwal taluk.
Auto-rickshaw drivers in Karnataka have purchased a fully equipped ambulance for approximately Rs 12 lakh to provide free emergency transport for two villages, according to The Times of India.
The initiative was led by the Navodaya Auto-rickshaw Drivers and Owners Association of Badakabail in Kariyangala village, near Polali. The service will cater to residents of Kariyangala and Ammunje villages in Bantwal taluk.
The association members raised funds through small daily savings, which were combined with financial assistance from villagers and other donors. The group spent approximately Rs 10 lakh to purchase the ambulance and another Rs 2 lakh to install necessary equipment in Mysuru.
The drivers, who previously used their auto-rickshaws to rush sick villagers to hospitals when ambulances were unavailable, will now take turns operating the vehicle. The ambulance will be parked near the Badakabail auto-rickshaw stand, where around 26 auto-rickshaws operate.
The association also collects Rs 100 every month from each driver to assist underprivileged people, having raised more than Rs 4 lakh for welfare activities over time.