Title - Bustling Central lacks emergency care: PIL

CHENNAI: A public interest petition filed in the Madras high court has brought to light the fact that the Chennai Central railway station does not have a full-fledged emergency medical care centre despite handling about 200 trains and 3.5 lakh passengers daily.Citing two specific instances where a woman passenger, who suffered injuries, bled to death and another passenger died of cardiac arrest without getting medical care on time, the PIL wanted a round-the-clock emergency medical centre at station.The first bench comprising Chief Justice M Y Eqbal and Justice T S Sivagnanam directed the Railways to explain "specifically as to how much time they require to provide emergency medical care facilities at Chennai Central." Ordering notices to the Centre as well as the Railways, the judges posted the matter to November 29 when they have to file a detailed reply.The PIL, filed by advocate A Malathi of Manapakkam, said the station had 15 platforms to handle long-distance trains and three platforms exclusively for suburban trains,Though more than 3.5 lakh passengers frequented the station daily, there were no permanent ambulance services, she said, adding that ambulances had to be brought either from Egmore or Perambur.Though the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital was located near the railway station, delays occur while getting permission from authorities to bring equipment including stretchers, she said. A medical centre run by a non-governmental organisation works only for a couple of hours a day, Malathi said, adding that during peak festival or tourist season when the station witnesses an increase in footfall, the railway administration does not set up any emergency medical centres.

According to her, Kunjamma, who fell off a Kerala-bound train in May this year and suffered injuries died because timely medical facilities were not provided. Also, one George suffered cardiac arrest, and he too died without adequate medical attention, she said.

Healthcare in a welfare state means complete physical, mental and social wellbeing of citizens, and not mere absence of disease, Malathi said "A fraction of a second is important for a person who is battling for life." She said the Southwestern Railway had set up a medical centre in Bangalore in association with private persons to attend to the immediate medical needs of passengers. Malathi also contended that railway personnel too should be trained in handling medical emergencies. Equipment such as stretcher, first aid kid, wheel chair, etc should be made available in the emergency equipment room, she said., adding that the availability of the facility too should be properly publicised.

Though the railways has a social obligation to provide quality passenger amenities at all stations, except certain basic requirements such as drinking water, latrines and seating arrangements no medical facility is part of the passenger amenity system, she said.