Five ambulances on standby, but life support off track

BHOPAL: There are five ambulances that cater to Habibganj and Bhopal Railway station for medical emergencies, according to 108 ambulance services. However, advanced life support (ALS) ambulances are off the mark when it comes to serving passengers facing medical emergencies while on a train or facilities at the platforms.
Usually patients from Habibganj railway station are rushed to nearby private hospitals.As for passengers at Bhopal main station, the search for immediate medical aid is hindered with traffic congestion along both approaches of platform number one and six.
Officials rejected allegations that emergency services were not attending to medical emergencies at the two main platforms of the railway stations. "We have dealt with numerous emergencies at the Railway station," said an EMRI 108 official.
On an average every 12 hours there is one complaint related to medical emergency on trains, in Bhopal division, said an official. The nearest ambulance from the each of the two stations are stationed at Ashoka Garden and one based out of Hamidia hospital some five km away.
Habibganj railway station which is slated to become India's first private railway station has three ambulances in its vicinity. Two are stationed out of Habibganj railway station (3 km away) and one close by at MP Nagar. Habibganj railway station is to be redeveloped through PPP mode and allocated to Indian Railway Stations Development Corporation Limited (IRSDC) by the Ministry of Railways.