Western Railway and Central Railway should explore the possibility of having a common four-digit helpline number connected to a control room for emergencies and queries about train delays, the Bombay high court suggested on Monday.
Western Railway (WR) and Central Railway (CR) should explore the possibility of having a common four-digit helpline number connected to a control room for emergencies and queries about train delays, the Bombay high court suggested on Monday.
A division bench of chief justice Mohit Shah and justice DG Karnik was hearing a public interest litigation filed by Samir Zaveri seeking implementation of the ‘Golden Hour rule’ (providing medical facilities within one hour of an accident).
“Finalise a four-digit number, which will be easy to remember and which can be used for all queries including those about train delays,” said Karnik.
WR advocate Suresh Kumar submitted that it has a number which is displayed in each compartment of every train. A report by Dr Meena Shekhar, senior medical officer, Mumbai Central, stated that phone numbers of station managers, the Government Railway Police, the Railway Protection Force and medical officers are displayed in the emergency medical room in the office of the deputy station superintendent at Dadar station.
Shekhar added that the railways have a 10-digit emergency number displayed in each coach.
The court was also informed that WR and CR last week started a 24-hour medical emergency room at Dadar. The judges said that the railways should now consider providing 24x7 medical facilities at other stations as well.
The judges observed that the railways should consider constructing more under-bridges instead of overhead bridges to discourage commuters from crossing tracks.
“You [the railways] should consider the hardships faced by heart patients. It must be difficult for them to climb 30 steps [minimum number of steps on foot over-bridges],” said Karnik.
CR advocate AN Samant submitted that stations constructed by Cidco (on the Harbour line) have underground passages for commuters.
Kumar told the court that commuters use short-cuts by crossing tracks and end up meeting with accidents. They also travel on rooftops, another major cause of railway accidents, he added.
The judges responded that the railways should consider increasing the frequency of trains and number of compartments.
Kumar said that WR has one train every three minutes and even 15-coach trains have been introduced.
However, he admitted that after the implementation of various measures, there has been a substantial decline in accidents. Amicus curie Jamshed Mistry suggested that boundary walls should be constructed on major portions of suburban tracks to discourage commuters crossing them.
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