Set up special emergency medical teams at all railway stations, suggests Bombay high court

MUMBAI: The Bombay high court on Monday asked the railways to consider setting up special teams at all stations to provide emergency medical care to accident victims. The HC’s suggestion came even as Western Railway said that it would set up emergency medical rooms (EMRs) at 10 stations that have seen 100 or more track deaths. A divison bench of Justice Abhay Oka and Justice Revati Dere suggested that the Centre and the railways should consider making provisions in the budget for the special teams.
In 2015, around 3,304 people died on the tracks on both central and western lines. Advocate Suresh Kumar, counsel for CR, submitted an expert panel’s report to prevent tra-ck deaths. The HC emphasized the need to provide emergency care to accident victims within the “Golden Hour” (one hour after the accident) and suggested that the railways tie up with nearby private hospitals.
WR said that by February it would set up EMRs at Mumbai Central, Bandra, Goregaon, Churchgate, Borivli, Virar, Andheri, Kandivli, Vasai and Palghar. For the Virar-Dahanu Road section, WR said it is tying up with Sanjivai Hospital in Boisar and Dhada Hospital in Palghar.
The Central Railway had earlier informed the HC that it had set up EMRs at Dadar, Thane and Panvel stations. CR will set up EMRs at Mulund, Kalyan, Dombivli, Vashi, Kurla, Ghatkopar, Diva, Wadala Road and Karjat by March.