Title - Central Railway ham-handed in handling the hurt

A 20-minute drama at Kurla station has once again highlighted the railways’ apathy. An injured commuter was ferried across in a procession of sorts on a stretcher over the platforms, bridges and tracks by porters, station staff and the police only to find no ambulance outside the station on Thursday afternoon. The victim was then put into a cab and sent to Sion hospital about 2km away, despite KB Bhabha Hospital being next to the Kurla station.

The Kurla station staff was alerted that an injured man was lying on the bridge near platform number 7 and 8. Eyewitnesses said that the victim had fallen from the train, but managed to climb the bridge before he collapsed, bleeding profusely.

The stationmaster, along with the GRP personnel and four porters came to the spot with a stretcher and began a long journey which took half of the golden hour period away.

With the patient on the stretcher, the porters, followed by police, station master and a huge crowd ferried the victim from the bridge to the platform, from where he was taken over the tracks to Kurla (East). However, there was no ambulance outside the station. The GRP personnel convinced a taxi driver to take the victim to the hospital, who agreed only after he was given Rs100. The victim was then given first aid, asked to get up from the stretcher and put into the cab.

CR spokesperson AK Singh said the station staff received information at 12.35pm about an unidentified man lying injured at Kurla station. “A list of nearest ambulances and helpline is maintained at all stations to be used in such emergencies.”

The incident has once again highlighted the lack of ambulance and emergency facilities at important stations like Kurla, which caters to lakhs of passengers every day. Moreover, Kurla tops the commuter casualty list on the Central Railway. No amount of litigation and court orders seem to be improving the situation at city’s stations.