CHENNAI: Patients and attendants at Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital (RGGGH) lamented that in recent days, the operation of Battery Operated Vehicles (BOVs) has been reduced, forcing patients to walk or seek stretchers to move within the campus.

V Rajan, an attendant, complained that two days back, he saw a BOV parked inside the out-patient block near the general medicine department.

“Every month, I bring my mother for a general check-up and to get medicines. She can’t walk for long distances, and has to wait for a long time to get in the BOV.”

RGGGH dean K Santharaman told DT Next that six BOV vehicles were functioning on campus, and 3 were used to transfer patients in the different blocks. “The remaining are used in transferring emergency cardiac patients, and two are used for mortuary. Two vehicles had minor repair works that were sorted out. In the coming week, we’ll add 4 more vehicles to transfer patients, food, medical waste and laundry things,” he explained.

A city-based activist and a policy researcher, Joel Shelton opined that the operation and maintenance of vehicles must be done regularly to avoid malfunctions. “The BOV vehicles in the hospital are fewer in number, considering the welfare of the patients, and the number should be increased,” he pointed out.

A worker at the hospital said, “To avoid multiple trips, sometimes workers keep two patients on the stretcher, and ask Rs 50 per patient to transfer them to their wards.”