Bengaluru, June 28 -- Ambulance services, often regarded as the lifeline for critically ill and accident victims, continue to face serious challenges in Bengaluru due to worsening traffic congestion, shortage of vehicles and operational bottlenecks. Acknowledging these concerns, Karnataka Health Minister U.T. Khader has set an ambitious target of ensuring that ambulances reach hospitals within 13 minutes.

At present, patients and their families frequently complain about delays in ambulance services despite emergency sirens. In many cases, ambulances reportedly take up to 50 minutes to reach Victoria Hospital, while covering a distance of just 10 kilometres can sometimes take more than two hours during peak traffic hours.

As per standard...