Quick-commerce platform Blinkit, a subsidiary of Zomato, has announced a significant change to its ambulance service model. Zomato founder Deepinder Goyal confirmed that while emergency transfers will remain free, non-emergency bookings will now incur a charge of ₹2,500.
The decision comes after the company observed a growing number of routine bookings that were diverting fully equipped emergency ambulances from critical cases. Goyal shared the update on X, emphasizing the need to keep these life-saving vehicles available for genuine emergencies.
Why the New Blinkit Ambulance Charges?
According to Goyal, the Blinkit ambulance service has handled approximately 42,000 cases over the last two years, with about 20,000 of these being emergencies, all provided free of charge. However, a substantial portion of bookings were for non-critical needs such as routine check-ups, hospital visits, or transfers home after discharge. These are trips that could easily be managed by standard private transport or ride-hailing services.
Goyal stated, "Every such booking keeps a fully equipped emergency ambulance with paramedics off the road when someone's life may depend on it." The new ₹2,500 fee for non-emergency transfers is intended to discourage the misuse of the service and ensure that ambulances are readily available when every minute counts.
Funds to Support Expansion and Training
The revenue generated from these non-emergency Blinkit ambulance charges will be directed to the Eternal Foundation, the organization responsible for operating the ambulance service. These funds are earmarked to help scale the service further across India.
Blinkit also has ambitious plans to expand its ambulance network to all major Indian cities within the next two to four years. However, Goyal acknowledged that a significant bottleneck for this expansion is the availability of trained and empathetic paramedics. The company is actively scaling its training academy to address this challenge without compromising on the quality of care.
The company remains committed to its core mission, with Goyal reiterating the importance of prompt emergency response: "10-minute ambulances have saved and can save thousands of lives, and we need to keep them available for emergencies that need them the most."