The Emergency Management and Research Institute's (EMRI) 108 service in Ahmedabad remained a critical lifeline in 2025, fielding a staggering volume of distress calls. Data for the year reveals the scale of medical emergencies across Gujarat's major cities, highlighting specific trends in accidents, cardiac issues, and seasonal illnesses.
Ahmedabad's Call Volume and Statewide Trends
In Ahmedabad city alone, the EMRI 108 service received 3.05 lakh (305,000) calls throughout 2025. This translates to an average of roughly 837 calls per day, or about 35 calls every hour. A significant portion, approximately 10%, were related to vehicular accidents, while another 10% concerned breathing difficulties.
Year-on-year, Gujarat recorded an overall 5% increase in emergency calls. The rise was not uniform across cities. Surat recorded the highest jump at 9%, followed by Rajkot with a 3% rise. Ahmedabad and Vadodara each saw a more modest 2% increase in call volume compared to 2024.
Spike in Cardiac and Trauma Emergencies
The data points to concerning rises in specific medical emergencies. For cardiac-related calls, Surat and Vadodara each recorded an 18% increase compared to the previous year. Road traffic accident (RTA) cases also saw a significant uptick statewide.
Gujarat witnessed a 10% overall rise in vehicular trauma cases, with numbers climbing from 1.65 lakh in 2024 to 1.82 lakh in 2025. Interestingly, while the state average was 10%, all four major cities recorded spikes below this figure. Rajkot had the highest city rise at 9%, followed by Surat at 8%. Ahmedabad and Vadodara reported a 5% increase each in RTA calls, suggesting a sharper rise in accidents in other regions of Gujarat.
Pregnancy, Seasonal Illnesses, and Official Insights
Pregnancy-related emergencies continued to be among the highest volume categories, as 108 remains a trusted conduit to hospital care. Calls for abdominal pain and respiratory illnesses showed seasonal variations. High fever cases indicated annual trends, with Surat recording a rise, Vadodara maintaining similar numbers, and Ahmedabad and Rajkot seeing a drop compared to 2024.
A senior EMRI official explained that the overall rise in cases should be viewed from two angles: population growth and an increase in the number of ambulances over the years, improving access to the service. "The calls are relatively higher from urban areas, but the volume compared to population density is overall the same," the official stated. The service employs special ambulance deployments to ensure area-specific aid is provided swiftly.
