The Assam government has directed all district commissioners and senior superintendents of police to ensure that ambulances and other emergency vehicles are not obstructed for VIP convoy movements, following a row over an ambulance being halted in Silchar to make way for chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s convoy.
The directive, issued through a formal order by the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO), also states that the chief minister’s convoy may be paused, if required, to allow emergency vehicles to pass immediately. “He was suffering from cirrhosis and it was a chronic case. He died during treatment at around 6 am,” Dr Swami said.
However, the SMCH principal and the deceased’s family said the death was not directly related to the traffic delay. SMCH principal Abhijit Swami said Chakraborty was suffering from liver cirrhosis and described it as a chronic case.
It added that traffic regulation during VIP movement must be managed without causing delays or obstruction to such vehicles, adding that “the carcade may be paused, if required, to facilitate their immediate passage. In the fresh direction, the state government has ordered that the size of the chief minister’s carcade be restricted strictly to the minimum number of vehicles required for security and essential operational purposes. The order further directed that ministers, MLAs, officials and other dignitaries attending the same programme should not form part of or move alongside the Chief Minister’s carcade.
The state government said clear directions had already been issued requiring emergency vehicles, particularly ambulances, fire tenders and police response units, to be given unhindered passage at all times. “Hon’ble Ministers, MLAs, officials and other dignitaries attending the same programme(s) as the Hon’ble Chief Minister shall not form part of, or move alongside, the Hon’ble Chief Minister’s carcade,” the order said.
