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Death on a Train
E.R. Ramachandran - 31 October, 2007 | Bangalore | Mysore | amenities
The train from Mysore towards Bangalore left at 6:45 on 28th
October, last Sunday morning, like any other day. Being Sunday, it was
less crowded, the passengers comprising mostly middle-aged and elderly
and a small group of traders discussing the zooming sensex.After
sometime a sense of ennui, sleepiness took over the train amidst
vendor’s shout of coffee and tea.
Just before the train reached Mandya, there was some commotion from passengers, 2 bogies away. Soon after, the Ticket collector came enquiring whether there is a doctor in the train to attend to a passenger who had become unconscious.
As the train steamed into Mandya some passengers informed Mandya
Railway police who in turn asked the Engine driver to hold the train
.By that time the whistle had been blown from the Guard, and the driver
started the train informing the police that Maddur was only 10 Minutes
away.
Meanwhile some of us rushed to the aid of patient, but we could not find his pulse. He had collapsed to the side from his sitting position. He was in the Fifties, probably going to work protected with a jerkin over a full sleeves shirt and Pant. When all efforts to wake him up including sprinkling water failed, we started administering Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR), by blowing in to his mouth after closing his nostrils. Even repeated, frantic efforts of CPR had no effect on him. The stitch mark from the middle of his chest down indicated, he might have been a heart patient who had undergone surgery. Somebody fished out a tablet strip from his pocket and, as advised by a doctor who was giving instructions on the mobile, we pushed the medicine too. Somebody took out a small book from his pocket with telephone Numbers.
The seemingly longest journey ever that I traveled, of 12 minutes ended as the train steamed in to Maddur. People lifted him and carried to the stone bench at the station. Somebody carried his bag along. Even basic medical facility was not available at Maddur Station, an important junction between Bangalore and Mysore. The Railway Minister never tires of lecturing all over the world how he was instrumental in turning around Indian Railways that netted over RS. 20000 Crores.
It took another 10 minutes to get a stretcher – a stinking dirty leather sheet with two wooden handle at both ends.
Amidst the tearing hurry needed to save a life, life was proceeding at snail’s pace.
Finally he was carried over the rail bridge and our train left for Bangalore with passengers angry, silent and crying.
By that time the identity of the passenger was established. Hold your breath. He was a senior Section Engineer (Electrical) working at Railway Workshop in Mysore!
For one who had probably spent most of his working life on a train, the train did not stop for him when it mattered most. The T.C. felt terrible as the train was not stopped by his colleague and a crucial time of 10 minutes was lost. We were left with the thought ‘what might have been’.
As we reached Chennapatna, the T.C. phoned Maddur and found out the Rail passenger whom we had all accompanied from Mysore was brought there ‘dead on arrival’.
We all reached Bangalore without our co- passenger for whom the Final Station had come at Maddur itself.
COMMENTS
God save Bangalore! This ambulance was stuck in the traffic jam on Ambedkar Road on Wednesday as BJP and JD(S) took their power struggle to the streets. KPN (Via Deccan Herald)
Ambulance!
E.R. Ramachandran - 2 November, 2007 - 14:58
While fighting for a 'popular' Govt, even if an ambulance cannot reach The hospital and a patient dies, it's ok for these jokers! Bal Thakery paid the ultimate price when he was stuck in a place where a doctor could not reach him, medicine was not available and his poor wife died for lack of medical attention. But only god knows how many would have faced similar situation, when Thackeray used to call Bombay or Maharashtra bandhs.
Ambulances In Traffic
tsubba - 11 November, 2007 - 03:06
Additional Commissioner, Traffic, KC Ramamurthy speaking to DH.. Suggestions for ambulances stuck in traffic snarls? The ambulances, before taking off to a hospital should contact the traffic control room at 22943030 (West) and 22250999 (East). This will help the traffic constable give them clearance two junctions ahead. Though they try and give preference to ambulances, their hands are also tied because of congestion on the roads. AMBULANCES: VICTIMS OF TRAFFIC JAMS One of the victims of traffic congestion is the ambulance. With very little to no place to manoeuvre the vehicle, the traffic cop remains as helpless as the ambulance ferrying a patient in a state of emergency. | “There’s no traffic discipline and people are indifferent to ambulances. Cars ahead just refuse to move. What can the traffic cop do? It’s social responsibility to make way for the ambulance,” said Dr Rajiv Shetty, medical superintendent, Bowring and Lady Curzon Hospital. “A tragedy is waiting to take place. We are lucky that till now there has been no catastrophe because of ambulances stuck in traffic jams. There’s poor civic sense and no methodology for smooth and uninterrupted movement of ambulances on the roads. There are separate lanes for autorickshaws. We should have something like that for emergency services,” says Vishal Bali, CEO, Wockhardt Hospitals group. Dr Devi Shetty, chairman, Narayana Hrudayalaya, says,”No policies will work if the people are indifferent to ambulances. The sad part is that ambulances are sometimes used for general purposes. Their misuse should stop and there should be regulations to make their movement free.” “In 2004, we had made roads surrounding the hospitals one-way so that people can reach there fast. Ambulances should take patients to the nearest hospital rather than ferrying them to far off hospitals, during peak traffic hours,” says MA Saleem, director, Security & Vigilance, KSRTC.
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