It was a Saturday morning in December 2022. A woman travelling from Hazrat Nizamuddin to Jhansi in general compartment of superfast Karnataka Sampark Kranti Express started getting labour pain some time after the train started from Hazrat Nizamuddin.
Train No. 12650 Karnataka Sampark Kranti Express left Hazrat Nizamuddin for Yashvantpur Junction at 8:20 am on Saturday. The stoppage of this train was at Gwalior at 11:43. The pregnant lady was going to Tikamgarh, Madhya Pradesh.
Indian Trade Service officer Sandeep Rajouria too was travelling to Gwalior in AC first coach of the same train. The woman started having labor pain around 9 am and the TTE got information about this in AC First. Hearing this through TTE, Mr Rajouria asked him to help the woman.
They got the train to stop at Kosi Kalan, 40 km before Mathura. The woman and her relatives were brought from General to AC First. Here an elderly woman helped the woman for delivery. After delivery, the health of the woman and the new born started deteriorating.
Mr. Rajouria then contacted his fellow Indian Railway Traffic Services (IRTS) trainee officer Ankit Mishra, who is undergoing training at Indian Railway Institute of Transport Management (IRITM), Lucknow, for help.
SAVED TWO LIVES
Speaking with Indian Masterminds, Mr. Mishra shared, “It was Saturday, 9:20 AM and I was sleeping when my friend called me up to which I thought was a normal call. But he asked for my help regarding the train stoppage, shared the development and asked if any medical facilities could be provided.”
The next stoppage of Karnataka Sampark Kranti was at Gwalior. Mr Mishra contacted his senior officers and the railway officials of Agra division to stop the train at Mathura and get treatment.
“Agra itself is a division of Indian Railways and Kanpur comes under Prayagraj division. There is a control room at every important station where every train movement is monitored. So, I called the chief controller at Agra control room who said that we can take a stoppage at Mathura station. He also assured of providing the medical facility to the woman,” he said.
The condition of the baby was deteriorating as it was very cold. After some time, Mr Rajouria informed him that the lady and her new born has been taken to the hospital and things were under control. The efforts of both the friends paid off and saved two lives.
APPRECIATION
“I didn’t not expect this much of appreciation because if any friend or colleague of mine would have called me up and asked for the help regarding anything, I would have helped them,” Mr. Mishra said.
Sharing about another incident where he helped a passenger, Mr Mishra said that a passenger lost his printed Tatkal ticket while he went to use the washroom. He said that the case was genuine, so he asked the TTE to allow him to sit on his berth without penalising him, as his name was mentioned in the list and had a verified ID card.
“So, this is some small help which I deliver when people ask me. And this was a routine call and I didn’t expect it to be highlighted so much,” Mr Mishra said.
RAILWAY HELP
Every division at important stations railways has got its own hospitals. In case of any assistance regarding the passengers, those willing to avail those facilities can call on 139 which is the toll free number and can ask for any medical help. And the control or the commercial staff will provide those help to them.
“We have social media cell and if the passenger tag Indian Railways or any of the DRM, nevertheless wherever the train might be, that concerned official will tag to the respective division and the passenger would get the help. The response time would be around 1-2 hours, even if you are in Chennai and you want a help in Delhi then you will not be disappointed,” Mr. Mishra told Indian Masterminds.