Rail budget should have provisions for ambulance: Bombay HC

The Bombay High Court today observed that the Union Railway Budget presented last week should have made certain provisions for having at least one ambulance at every suburban railway station in the city to cater to accident victims immediately, reports PTI.

A division bench of Justices D K Deshmukh and K K Tated was hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by Sameer Zaveri, a railway accident victim who lost his legs seeking for the railways to implement safety measures at all stations to facilitate quick medical aid to victims.

Advocate Suresh Kumar, appearing for the Western Railways, told the court that arrangements have been made with local ambulance services.

"But why cannot you (railways) buy your own ambulances.

This provision could have been made in this year''s budget.

Railways has enough resources to have one ambulance at every station," Justice Deshmukh remarked.

The court has directed both Central and Western Railways to file their affidavit by March 4 stating arrangements made for providing ambulance services to persons meeting with accidents while travelling on trains.

The court further observed that the railways should co-ordinate with the state government. "It is a question of pulling together all the resources. State government could make arrangements to deploy at least one medical officer in every station in case of emergencies," the bench remarked.