Mumbai suburban railway staff trained to spot coronavirus symptoms, provide help

Station masters, ticket checkers, booking supervisors, railway hospital staff and railway personnel at the Emergency Medical Rooms (EMR) of Mumbai suburban railway stations have been trained in handling commuters showing symptoms of the coronavirus.

The Central Railway (CR) has trained 200 of its staff at suburban railway stations to spot symptoms of the coronavirus and assist suspected passengers to the nearest hospital.

A view of the Mumbai’s Bandra station. Passengers travelling in the Mumbai local trains can also inform the railway authorities of a suspected passenger by calling on the railway helpline number or the railway security helpline number. (Satyabrata Tripathy/HT Photo)

Station masters, ticket checkers, booking supervisors, railway hospital staff and railway personnel at the Emergency Medical Rooms (EMR) of suburban railway stations have been trained in handling commuters showing symptoms of the virus. The railway personnel will inform the district collector on arrival of a suspected passenger and shift the passenger to the civic-run Kasturba Hospital.

Passengers travelling inside the local trains can also inform the railway authorities of a suspected passenger by calling on the railway helpline number (1123978046) or the railway security helpline number 182. A railway personnel will attend to the passenger, assist the commuter to the EMR and further to the hospital.

“More railway staff is being trained. Passengers can also approach station masters and call on railway helpline numbers in to report cases,” said Shivaji Sutar, chief public relation officer, Central Railway.

Further, the railways have also started announcements on prevention and identification of the virus. Posters depicting dos and don’ts have been put up in the compartments. “The number of passenger entering and exiting any railway station is very high. Screening of every passenger could lead to stampede-like situation, especially during peak hours,” said a senior Central Railway official.

“It will be impossible to stop the spread of virus in the city. Railways along with commuters need to be aware of the situation and take preventive steps,” said Subhash Gupta, president, Rail Yatri Parishad.

Getting ready

To tackle coronavirus outbreak, a 20-bed isolation ward has been set up at sub-district hospital in Panvel, nine-bed ward and critical care unit has been readied at MGM Hospital, Kalamboli and a nine-bed ward has been set up at NMMC hospital, Vashi. People can call Padmini Yelwe, nodal health official, PCMC, on 8369375615.