Ambulance out of CM Revanth’s convoy, now reduced to three from 11

The ambulance that conventionally accompanies a Chief Minister’s convoy has been removed from A. Revanth Reddy’s fleet after he decided to reduce the vehicles in the convoy.

In the decision to promote fuel conservation, after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call due to the West Asia crisis, the CM has drastically reduced his official convoy from nine vehicles to just three.

For years, an ambulance equipped with a doctor and support staff has been a mandatory part of the Chief Minister’s convoy to respond to medical emergencies. However, officials said the ambulance has now been dropped as part of the downsizing exercise.

At present, the convoy consists only of a pilot vehicle, followed by the Chief Minister’s car, which is followed by another security vehicle. Earlier, the ambulance used to trail the convoy as an emergency support vehicle.

However, the sharp reduction in the convoy size has reportedly created operational challenges for the security and official teams accompanying the Chief Minister. Officials from the Chief Minister’s Office and public relations staff, who generally travel in separate vehicles, are now being accommodated in the lone escort vehicle behind the Chief Minister’s car. The same vehicle is also expected to serve as a backup in case of a technical problem with the CM’s vehicle.

Meanwhile, the Chief Minister has also directed police officials not to halt traffic for the movement of his convoy. Earlier, traffic used to be stopped for five to 10 minutes to ensure the smooth passage of the convoy, with delays sometimes extending further depending on local police officers.

The decision followed repeated media reports highlighting the inconvenience faced by commuters and a viral video showing motorists arguing with police personnel over prolonged traffic stoppages. Following the incidents, Mr. Reddy instructed Director General of Police C. V. Anand to ensure that ordinary citizens are not made to wait on roads because of his movement.

Police officials said that for the past 10 days, the Chief Minister’s convoy has been moving amid regular traffic without causing major disruptions. While commuters have largely welcomed the move, security personnel say it has created fresh concerns.

According to senior police officials, many commuters are now deliberately slowing down their vehicles to wave at the Chief Minister or attempting to record videos of his car while driving alongside the convoy. “We are finding it difficult to prevent such filming. It slows traffic movement and also poses a security risk,” a senior official said.