Track accidents increase: Eight stations yet to get medical rooms and ambulances

Kiran Dhanvade, a 24-year-old man from Airoli, came under a train while crossing the tracks at Kopar Khairane railway station on Tuesday.

When Railway Protection Force (RPF) officers rushed to the spot, they realised the train had severed both his legs. They pulled Dhanvade out from under the train, but found themselves in a helpless position.

There was no ambulance at the station to take the critically injured man to a hospital.

RPF officers finally convinced an auto driver to carry the injured man to the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) hospital in Vashi and managed to save Dhanvade’s life by providing him medical treatment during the golden hour.

Golden hour refers to the immediate one-hour time period following a traumatic injury, during which there is the highest likelihood that prompt medical and surgical treatment will prevent death.

According to the railway police, all accident victims are not as lucky. Many cannot be taken to hospitals during the golden hour due to lack of ambulances and other vehicles.

“Many die every year as they do not receive medical treatment during the golden hour. Had there been adequate ambulances and other medical facilities, the lives of more people could have been saved,” said a railway police officer.

Of the 15 railway stations in Navi Mumbai, only Vashi, Nerul and Panvel have ambulances.

Only Vashi and Panvel stations have an emergency medical room (EMR) for providing injured commuters with basic medical treatment.

In view of frequent train accidents and fatalities, the Bombay high court in 2011 ordered the railways to open EMRs near the stations.

On February 4, the railways had passed an order saying that eight new railway stations in Navi Mumbai — Sanpada, Juinagar, Nerul, Seawoods, CBD Belapur, Kharghar, Mansarovar and Khandeshwar — will get EMRs within a few months. However, there has been no progress on that front till date.

Sonal Pandey, 37, a resident of Sanpada, said such accidents at Navi Mumbai railway stations have increased.

“During peak hours, trains are so crowded that it is impossible to board them. At times, commuters standing on the footboard fall. Several people die every year while crossing the tracks too. Despite knowing this, the railway officials are not serious about such accidents. It is unfortunate that in a city of 23 lakh residents, they have provided EMRs to only two stations and ambulances to only three stations,” said Pandey.

Vishal Mane, 46, a resident of CBD Belapur said, “The railways does not have to spend in crores to provide us with an ambulance and an EMR. It is just matter of a few lakhs of rupees. We feel they are lagging behind not in cash but in willingness to take the requisite measures.”

Bhakti Dave, president of Panvel Pravashi Sangh said the officials have only given them assurance, instead of taking concrete steps for commuters’ safety.

“For the past several years, we have been demanding facilities at all railway stations of Navi Mumbai. Railway officials, however, they seem to ignore everything,” said Dave.

A senior officer of Central Railway (CR) said, “We still have plans to set up EMRs at the railway stations that we announced in February. However, we will take a few more months to implement it. The EMRs should be ready by early 2020.”

The officer, however, refused to explain the reason behind the delay.

Pravin Kumar Vishwakarma, senior inspector of RPF, said, “Recently, the railways conducted a survey for providing ambulances to the railway stations in Navi Mumbai. The stations that have no ambulance should get one each within a month.”