A social worker was rewarded for his service in clearing traffic to make way for three ambulances stuck on Anna Salai during heavy rain on December 30.
The city received incessant rain, which caused waterlogging on several roads. Due to the rain, the traffic was badly affected, with vehicles piling up for several kilometres on Anna Salai. The ambulances, which were carrying patients to the Rajiv Gandhi Government Hospital were unable to move due to the traffic jam.
Noticing this near Anna Statue, Mohammed Ali Jinnah, 41, of Royapettah, who was passing by, immediately parked his bike on the roadside and started to run ahead of the ambulances. Directing other vehicles and their drivers to make way, Mr. Jinnah walked for almost 4 km and helped the ambulances to reach their destination. The video of his act went viral on social media.
“An ambulance driver told me that the condition of patient in his vehicle was serious. Immediately, I rushed to help and brought the ambulances to the same line of the road. Later, another youth also joined me to regulate traffic. I did this as a service to save lives,” he said.
City Police Commissioner Shankar Jiwal called Mr. Jinnah to his office on Monday and rewarded him for his good work. Mr. Jinnah is a manager in a private bank and has been doing voluntary service, from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m., in the casualty ward of Government Royapettah Hospital. He has been helping accident victims contact their relatives. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he had helped several families bury the deceased in a decent manner.
