It is not uncommon for a passenger to fall ill during a train journey. In most cases, ailing passengers are transferred to nearby hospitals according to the availability, which often may not be within the jurisdiction of the railways. To counter this scenario and become more traveller-friendly, the Eastern Railway is all set to provide medical facilities at 288 stations through a public-private partnership model by the end of this year.
According to Arun Arora, general manager of Eastern Railway, the facility will have a pharmacy, a diagnostic centre, an ambulance etc. “These facilities will be extremely useful for passengers. If someone falls ill during a train journey, the Railways is bound to provide him with treatment. In case of an emergency, the person would be transferred to the facility at the next station,” he added.
Doctors will be available round-the-clock at 16 important stations like Bolpur, Bardhaman and Asansol. Along with (train) passengers, the services would be available to the stakeholders of railways and the common people living near these stations.
Since the entire process will operate through a PPP model, Eastern Railway has tied up with Rajnish Wellness Centre and hopes to earn Rs 3.25 crore each year. “We are sure this will benefit Eastern Railway and the common people. IRCTC and Eastern Railway jointly conduct many tours and passengers spend weeks on trains. While there are onboard doctors, this medical facility would be beneficial for them too,” said Arora.
The infrastructure of the facilities is being built and will be available by the end of this year.