VIP Road: First-aid booths set up by the Bidhannagar commissionerate at important intersections on VIP Road remain locked.

The booths made of aluminium sheets have First Aid Booth Bidhannagar Traffic Police emblazoned on them. They were set up several months ago as first-response units to help accident victims, an officer of the Bidhannagar commissionerate's traffic department said.

"In case of an accident, the personnel posted at the first-aid kiosks would act as first respondents and administer first aid before an ambulance arrives," the officer said. The kiosks were to be equipped with modern first-aid kits.

The officer blamed lack of manpower for the booths remaining defunct.

VIP Road, one of the city's busiest thoroughfares, is used by thousands of motorists and commuters every day. The six-lane thoroughfare sees thousands of vehicles drive down to the airport or fringe areas such as Madhyamgram and Barasat every day.

The rush-hour density of traffic on VIP Road is more than 200 vehicles per minute and accidents are not uncommon.

Sanjukta Dutta, the head of emergency medicine at Fortis Healthcare, said the kiosks could play a crucial role in saving lives.

"The first hour is the golden hour, be it after a heart attack or a heat stroke. In most accident cases, people get cuts and bruises from where blood oozes out. If a trained person puts a basic compression bandage, it will help reduce the blood flow to a large extent. Trained personnel can also help transport accident victims safely," Dutta said.

The commissionerate operates at least four ambulances that are stationed in accident-prone areas of Salt Lake, New Town and on VIP Road. Two new ambulances with on-board oxygen supply and GPS-tracking systems were added to its fleet in June this year.

The kiosks had been set up as a backup for the ambulances, the Bidhannagar police officer said.

"At times, an ambulance takes long to reach because of slow traffic. The first-aid booths can fill in till then," the officer said.

Several men and women will be trained in first-aid techniques, including cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), a lifesaving technique useful in many emergencies.

Amit Javalgi, the deputy commissioner, headquarters, of the Bidhannagar commissionerate, refused to comment on the locked booths.