Summary of this article
The Delhi government will deploy 20 new geriatric ambulances to strengthen pre-hospital emergency care for senior citizens.
This will take fleet size from 331 to 351 ambulances under CATS.
The government plans a phased expansion to 1,000 ambulances to build a more inclusive, responsive health system.
The Delhi government announced it would roll out 20 geriatric ambulances to provide emergency care for senior citizens in the city. The Health Minister, Pankaj Kumar Singh, said that these ambulances will have modern medical facilities to provide emergency care and boost the pre-medical care in the city, especially for the elderly. The minister said that the priority is to provide timely care, faster access, and dignified treatment to senior citizens, and make the healthcare system more responsive.
With the rollout of these ambulances, the fleet size will increase to 351, boosting the city’s pre-hospital emergency healthcare system. At present, there are 331 ambulances operating under the Centralised Accident and Trauma Services (CATS). These are linked to the emergency helpline number 102, and are also integrated with the emergency response support system (ERSS) at 112, reported PTI.
The new ambulances will enhance pre-hospital care and accessibility for the elderly. Reportedly, the government plans to increase the fleet size from the current 351 to 1,000 vehicles under a phased expansion. The minister said that the increase in the fleet is an effort to strengthen the public healthcare system, by making it more ‘inclusive and responsive’. The aim is to improve access to healthcare facilities and create a patient-centric healthcare system, especially for senior citizens.
Notably, the government allocated Rs 13,034 crore to the health sector in the budget to improve health infrastructure and critical care facilities.
Along with the healthcare push, the focus is also on the welfare of senior citizens. A few days back, the government announced that it would provide financial assistance to the resident welfare associations (RWAs) to set up recreational hubs. The government allocated Rs 25 crore in the Delhi Budget to the scheme ‘Vayo Anand’ launched in March 2026.
Under this scheme, the recreation centres will be established in the rain basera of the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB) and Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) community halls. The recreation activities would include indoor games, like carom, ludo, chess, and cards, yoga sessions, etc. To set up such a centre, a minimum of 50 members with RWAs and senior citizen groups, co-operative group housing societies, and NGOs that are working exclusively for senior citizens can apply. The government will provide financial assistance of Rs 3-4 lakh to select organisations to operate the centres.
