Agartala: Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha on Tuesday announced that special green corridors will be established across the state to ensure faster ambulance movement for emergency patients and to prevent delays caused by traffic congestion.
Measures to speed emergency transfers
Saha said multiple meetings have been held to examine ambulance movement, particularly for vehicles carrying patients from outside the state capital. The proposed system aims to allow ambulances to travel without getting stuck in traffic during critical medical situations.
- Reduce travel time for ambulances during life-threatening emergencies.
- Facilitate rapid transfer of patients to tertiary care centres in Agartala.
- Minimise delays caused by urban and inter-city traffic congestion.
Officials said the move forms part of the state government's broader push to strengthen Tripura's healthcare infrastructure and to reduce the need for patients to seek advanced treatment outside the state.
Hospital upgrades and digital services
Alongside the green corridor plan, the Chief Minister highlighted an expansion of digital hospital services and the establishment of new Intensive Care Units (ICUs) and Central Sterile Supply Departments (CSSDs) at government hospitals. No timeline for the rollout was specified in the announcement.
Health department sources said these upgrades are intended to improve in‑patient care and infection prevention capabilities, and to increase the state’s capacity to manage critical and post‑operative patients locally.
Increase in MBBS seats
Saha also said that Government Medical College and AGMC have received approval for an additional 100 MBBS seats, raising their combined annual intake from 150 to 250 seats for the current academic session. The approval is expected to boost the local pipeline of doctors trained within the state.
| Institution | Previous annual intake | New intake (this session) |
|---|---|---|
| Government Medical College | Mixed (part of combined 150) | Part of combined 250 |
| AGMC | Mixed (part of combined 150) | Part of combined 250 |
Health officials emphasised that increasing undergraduate seats is a medium‑term measure to address doctor shortages, while improved emergency logistics are intended to have immediate impact on patient outcomes.
Operational challenges and implementation
Authorities have held several coordination meetings on ambulance routes and traffic management, particularly for transfers from peripheral districts to Agartala. The announcement did not specify the operational protocol for declaring or managing a green corridor — such as traffic advisories, dedicated traffic police deployment, or priority signalling — nor did it detail whether private ambulances would be included under the scheme.
Experts within the health department noted that successful implementation will require inter‑departmental coordination between police, transport and health services, plus public awareness to ensure motorists yield the right of way when corridors are activated.
Officials also said work is underway to expand telemedicine and other digital services that could reduce non‑urgent travel to hospitals, thereby freeing road space for emergency transfers.
What this means for patients
The combined measures — faster ambulance movement, new ICU capacity and added MBBS seats — aim to reduce referrals outside Tripura for advanced care and to strengthen the state's capacity to handle emergencies locally. However, officials acknowledged that details on the corridor activation mechanism, timeframe and coverage are yet to be finalised and will be communicated in due course.
Tripura residents seeking information on ambulance services or hospital upgrades were advised to follow official government releases for updates on implementation and service availability.
