Karnataka health minister urges public to use alternatives as 108 ambulance workers threaten strike from October 14 night

Health and Social Welfare Minister UT Khader | Photo credit: File photo

With 108 emergency service workers threatening to go on strike from Wednesday night (October 14, 2026), Health Minister UT Khader on Tuesday urged the public not to depend solely on the service for the next two months, citing a lack of serviceable vehicles and delays in emergency response.

Against the requirement of around 750 ambulances across Karnataka, only 350 to 400 are currently in service, resulting in delays of 45 minutes to an hour in some cases, Mr. Khader said. He advised people to use ambulances available at taluk-level government hospitals during emergencies.

New fleet by December

The government needs until December to restructure the service and introduce a new fleet through a new tender, he said. The existing fleet had deteriorated since 2018, necessitating a rebuild.

“We have asked for time until December to completely restructure the system,” Mr Khader said, pointing out that the government is preparing a new tender policy to bring in ambulances on better terms.

Responding to the strike threat, the minister said the government would not give in to pressure from the agency running the service or its staff. He clarified that the employees were employees of GVK EMRI, the operator of the service, and not civil servants. “If anything goes wrong or patients are affected, we will take action against GVK EMRI,” he said.

Ambulance staff demand

108 The Ambulance Workers’ Union cited long pending demands regarding wages, staffing and workplace safety. In a previous ultimatum, the unions warned of shutting down the service from 20:00 on September 22 if their demands were not met. The last threat is for Wednesday night.

The union is seeking annual pay increases and pay revisions, a uniform pay structure across the state instead of zonal pay, and seniority pay. It also calls for adequate ambulances for three-shift operation, staff rest rooms and changes to shift schedules.

Among its key demands is a compensation of ₹50 crore to the family of an employee killed in an on-duty accident. The unions said the demands remained unresolved despite repeated appeals to the government.

Published – 13 Oct 2026 19:56 IST