October 19,2017:

SC expounded that,“If any passenger or his/her companion complains to the ticket collector or the attendant that he has some medical problem and immediate attention is required, it shall be the duty of the said officials to intimate the next railway station so that he/she can be given necessary medical assistance at the next railway station where the hospital is situated”.

Supreme Court has made it mandatory for Railways to keep the oxygen cylinders in all the trains to ensure that lifesaving gas could be provided to the travellers suffering from the respiratory problems in case of emergency.

Apex Court Bench comprising of CJI Dipak Misra and Justice A M Khanwilkar and Justice D Y Chandrachud has directed Railways to take assistance of the doctors from AIIMS to explore the ways to put in place the system in moving trains to provide the medical treatment to the travellers if they take ill.

SC Bench passed the order on an appeal filed by Centre challenging Rajasthan HC’s order directing Railways to provide a team of one medical officer, one nurse and one attendant in all the long-distance trains to cater to medical needs of the passengers.

Government submitted before the Bench that,”It was not feasible to deploy the doctors in the trains and it was not possible to install the machines for the medical check-up of the sick passengers.

Govt. further contended that it had launched the pilot project for providing the medical treatment to the passengers on moving trains, but it had failed.

 

Apex Court Bench, after recording Govt.’s statements stated that more steps needed to be taken to provide the medical assistance to the passengers on the moving trains and has directed Government the take assistance of the Senior doctors of AIIMS.