Ahmedabad’s 108 emergency service has placed ambulances and additional response staff on round-the-clock standby for Navratri, anticipating a rise in road accidents, falls, medical emergencies and injuries linked to late-night celebrations and heavier traffic movement.
The special action plan has been prepared for Ahmedabad and surrounding areas during the nine-day festival. According to the report, 108 emergency service officials expect vehicle trauma, including road accident injuries, and non-vehicle trauma, such as falls, fainting and other physical injuries, to increase because garba events continue late into the night and attract large crowds.
Previous data cited by the service indicates that more than 100 road accidents are recorded on average during the day over the Navratri period. During the nine Navratri days in 2025, 1,092 serious accident cases were reported across Ahmedabad and nearby areas. The 108 teams reached the incident locations and provided immediate life-saving treatment, according to the report.
The emergency service has also identified a rise in injuries linked to fights and other disputes during the festival. Late-night events, parking-related arguments and crowd pressure are cited as factors behind the increase. Such cases are reported to rise by more than 10% compared with ordinary days. In 2025, around 1,218 cases involving fights and physical injuries were recorded during the nine-day period.
To reduce response times and improve access to treatment during the golden hour, ambulances are being positioned near major garba grounds, large party plots, clubs and key traffic junctions. The locations are intended to keep emergency vehicles close to areas where large gatherings and increased traffic are expected.
The control room will operate with additional staff and medical officers on duty, the report said. The arrangement is designed to allow teams to respond quickly when calls are received and to provide medical assistance at or near the incident location before transporting patients where necessary.
The service has appealed to festival attendees and motorists to drive cautiously late at night and contact the 108 helpline without delay in a medical emergency. The deployment will remain focused on the Navratri period, when Ahmedabad’s late-night public activity and road movement are expected to place additional demand on emergency response services.
