I would like to narrate an incident today that amply illustrates IRs human face for the welfare of passengers.
My daughter, an Asst. Professor in Manipal University, was one of the 2 faculty members leading a group of about 20 students on a field visit to a tribal area in Palakkad Dist. The team was returning today from Palakkad to Mangalore by 22610 CBE-MAQ Intercity Exp, and then onward to Manipal by bus. Unfortunately one of the girl students fell ill due to an upset stomach and was apparently moving towards dehydration. My daughter called me at 9am and reported the matter asking if I could arrange for some medical assistance.
The...
more... best way out was to tweet to the Railway Ministry/Southern Railways but alas I am yet to master the art of tweeting. As the train was to reach Kozhikode RS in about an hour's time, I googled for the telephone numbers of both Kozhikode as well as the next station Vadakara. But alas there was no response as the phone just kept ringing. Finally I telephoned the office of the DRM, Palakkad, and passed on an SOS requesting medical attention for a passenger in D1 coach of 22610. The authorities there crosschecked the requirements with my daughter and arranged for a doctor to attend to the patient at Kozhikode. The doctor advised immediate hospitalization but the student was not willing to deboard there. He therefore administered some tablets and ORS to combat dehydration. The girl recovered to some extent thereafter during the journey. In fact all this resulted in a 12-minute halt for the train at Kozhikode in place of the scheduled stop of 5 mns. IR provided a great service to a passenger in need of medical assistance.
But that was not the end of it. When the train reached Kannur at 11.45, another railway doctor visited the coach and once again reviewed the condition of the patient who by then was somewhat better. That doctor permitted her to continue her journey to Mangalore and beyond to Manipal but advised REST for 3 days. My daughter called later on in the evening to state the girl had reached her home safely.
HAIL Indian Railways, Southern Railways and Palakkad Division, We are proud of your efforts.