End babugiri to save lives, GRP to rlys
By Kamal Mishra
GRP writes to rlys saying the rule, which says the train accident victims cannot be admitted to hospitals without a memo from station masters, has to be scrapped.
The Government Railway Police (GRP) has said that the railways waste far too much time over babugiri instead of rushing medical help to commuters involved in accidents.
The GRP are particularly annoyed at the memo system, which is controlled by the station masters, without which the victims cannot be rushed to hospitals.
As per the procedure, the in-charge of the station (station master) nearest to the accident spot has to be informed about the incident, after which he makes an announcement asking the helpers and the railway cops to attend to the victims. The victims are then brought to the station master’s cabin, where he issues a memo, without which the hospitals will not admit the victims.
“On an average, there are nine cases of railway accidents every day, and at least three lives are lost because of the delay caused by this procedure,” the GRP letter has said. “Around 15 to 20 minutes are lost in paperwork. The railways must consider scrapping of the memo system,” the letter has said.
GRP commissioner Madhukar Pandey said that his force had already communicated to the railways that paperwork should not come in the way of saving lives.
“Giving precedence to save lives over documentation is common sense. The Supreme Court has made it clear that medical help has to be provided to accident victims as soon as possible. We have requested the railway administration to review the current practise of issuing memos for the victims to get medical help,” Pandey said.
He said that the GRP has coined the term ‘Avilamb’ (accident victims’ lives above memo books) in their communication with the railways to stress on the need to revamp the system.
A senior official from the Central Railway said that the GRP letter will be forwarded to the Railway Ministry and the Railway Board.
GRP writes to rlys saying the rule, which says the train accident victims cannot be admitted to hospitals without a memo from station masters, has to be scrapped.
The Government Railway Police (GRP) has said that the railways waste far too much time over babugiri instead of rushing medical help to commuters involved in accidents.
Around a week ago, the GRP shot off letters to the Central Railway and the Western Railway general managers, saying there was an urgent need to revamp the entire procedure involving accident victims.
The GRP are particularly annoyed at the memo system, which is controlled by the station masters, without which the victims cannot be rushed to hospitals.
As per the procedure, the in-charge of the station (station master) nearest to the accident spot has to be informed about the incident, after which he makes an announcement asking the helpers and the railway cops to attend to the victims. The victims are then brought to the station master’s cabin, where he issues a memo, without which the hospitals will not admit the victims.
“On an average, there are nine cases of railway accidents every day, and at least three lives are lost because of the delay caused by this procedure,” the GRP letter has said. “Around 15 to 20 minutes are lost in paperwork. The railways must consider scrapping of the memo system,” the letter has said.
GRP commissioner Madhukar Pandey said that his force had already communicated to the railways that paperwork should not come in the way of saving lives.
“Giving precedence to save lives over documentation is common sense. The Supreme Court has made it clear that medical help has to be provided to accident victims as soon as possible. We have requested the railway administration to review the current practise of issuing memos for the victims to get medical help,” Pandey said.
He said that the GRP has coined the term ‘Avilamb’ (accident victims’ lives above memo books) in their communication with the railways to stress on the need to revamp the system.
A senior official from the Central Railway said that the GRP letter will be forwarded to the Railway Ministry and the Railway Board.
