Ranchi, Apr 28 (PTI) Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Friday launched the state's first air ambulance service from Ranchi to other parts of the country.

Soren flagged-off the service for which an aircraft of the Redbird Airways has been taken on lease, an official of the state civil aviation department said.

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The service will be provided at rates between Rs 3-8 lakh for places such as Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Varanasi, Lucknow and Tirupati.

Speaking on the occasion, the chief minister said, "The service is an effort to provide timely better treatment to seriously ill people. The state government is also contemplating to extend the service to those who are unable to afford the fares."

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The state civil aviation department has set up a cell for the air ambulance service which can be availed through phone calls and emails.

"The cell has received more than 250 calls enquiring about the service," he said.

Soren said his administration intends to establish helipads along major roads so that those seriously injured in accidents can be airlifted by helicopters.

The air ambulance service will also be started from other districts of the state very soon, he said.

The fare for other destinations will be at Rs 1.10 lakh per hour.

Soren said health services are being improved at various levels and motorcycle ambulances are being introduced in remote areas.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)