Blinkit, the quick-commerce platform, has launched a 10-minute ambulance service in select areas of Gurgaon, sparking a wave of reactions across social media. CEO Albinder Dhindsa announced the initiative, which initially features five ambulances, and outlined plans to expand the service to other cities.
The announcement, made via a social media post, detailed Blinkit’s aim to address the urgent need for reliable and rapid ambulance services in urban areas. Dhindsa wrote, “We are taking our first step towards solving the problem of providing quick and reliable ambulance service in our cities. The first five ambulances will be on the road in Gurugram starting today. As we expand the service to more areas, you will start seeing an option to book a Basic Life Support (BLS) ambulance through the Blinkit app.”
The initiative drew significant attention online, with users expressing a mix of praise, humour, and scepticism. Many lauded the service as a life-saving measure.
“This is amazing; it is a much-needed service. Kudos, Blinkit,” wrote one user on X (formerly Twitter). Another posted, “I’ve had only a one-time experience with Blinkit, but the service was truly amazing. This will save lives. A lot of lives. Great!” A third added, “Wow. Hats off.”
However, not all feedback was positive. Some criticised the service as "dystopian," while others lamented its limited availability. “It’s great that this service is available, but why not in my area?” one user questioned.
See some reactions here:
January 2, 2025
love that Blinkit now has ambulance service, Im sure itll help many people greatly but the fact that there is a market for this should scare all of us. what does it say about our countrys healthcare infrastructure that grocery delivery apps have to offer this?amirtha (@ewyuckugh) January 2, 2025
Shridhar V (@iimcomic) January 2, 2025
me: damn, this expiry cheese from blinkit made my chest pain worse. if only i could order an ambulance nowblinkit: you're not gonna believe this! https://t.co/7azfLiGj8LDarpan (@darpanthisside) January 3, 2025
#AmbulanceIn10Minutes #SavingLives pic.twitter.com/RMJ7AFxRLm
Abhishek Tiwari (@asitisabhishek_) January 3, 2025
In response to the feedback, Dhindsa emphasised that profit was not the goal of the initiative. “We will operate this service at an affordable cost for customers and invest in really solving this critical problem for the long term,” he said.
He added, “We are carefully scaling this service up, as it is both important and new to us. Our aim is to expand to all major cities over the next two years.”
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