Emergency Medical Rooms at Railway Stations
Central Railway has identified 26 railway stations of Mumbai Division for providing Emergency Medical Rooms. Out of these 26 stations, Emergency Medical Rooms (EMRs) are functional at 18 railway stations. Further, tenders have been invited from various Public and Private Hospitals/ nursing homes/ polyclinics/ clinics/ private practitioners/ companies etc. for establishment of EMRs at remaining 08 stations.
In compliance of orders of Hon’ble Supreme Court and as recommended by Committee of experts constituted at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), instructions have been issued to provide a Medical Box containing life saving medicines, equipments, oxygen cylinder etc. at all Railway stations and passenger carrying trains. Front line staff i.e. Train Ticket Examiner, Train Superintendents, Assistant Station Master etc. are trained in rendering First Aid. Regular refresher courses are conducted for such staff. List of near-by hospitals and doctors along with their contact numbers is available at all Railway Stations. Ambulance services of Railways, State Government/Private Hospitals and ambulance service providers are utilized to transport the injured/ sick passengers to the hospitals/doctor’s clinics.
In addition, as per orders of Hon’ble Bombay High Court, clinics have been established at 24 sub-urban stations of Mumbai run by non-railway Medical Professional Groups. Such clinics have also been established at 29 other railway stations in the country. These clinics can attend any patient besides rendering emergency medical care to bonafide railway passengers.
This press release is based on information given by the Minister of Railways and Commerce & Industry, Shri Piyush Goyal in a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha today.
Here’s what I found about Emergency Medical Rooms (EMRs) at Indian railway stations—dedicated facilities for urgent care within the “Golden Hour”:
🏥 What Are Railway EMRs?
EMRs are on‑premises medical rooms at stations—often set up via public–private partnerships (PPP)—that provide immediate first aid and stabilization to passengers, vendors, or anyone injured or ill on station premises. They’re primarily intended to treat railway accidents (e.g. falls, trauma), offer basic emergency therapies (e.g. oxygen, suturing), arrange ambulance transfers, and sometimes operate as minor clinics outside emergencies.
Treatment is generally free for bona fide passengers, with a nominal charge (typically ₹100) applied otherwise
📌 Where Are EMRs Currently Operational?
Mumbai (Central and Western Railways)
- Dadar, Thane, Panvel, Andheri, Borivali, Churchgate among key stations on Western, Central, and Harbour lines.
- Thane & Panvel EMRs launched via PPP—managed by Aarogyam and Lifeline Hospital respectively. Similar existing facilities at Dadar
Chennai / Southern Railway
- Chennai Central railway station opened a full-fledged Emergency Medical Care Centre in April 2013: includes beds, doctors, nurses, paramedics, ambulance, ECG, defibrillator, and resuscitation tools—the first of its kind at an Indian terminus
- By 2018, Southern Railway had expanded EMRs to 23 major stations, including Tambaram, Egmore, Salem, Trichy, and Coimbatore, often in partnership with hospitals like Apollo or SRM
Ahmednagar & Miraj (Central Railway, Pune Division)
- As of February 2025, EMRs planned via lease agreements:
- Ahmednagar: awarded to Moraya Multispeciality Hospital
- Miraj: to Sevasadan Lifeline Pvt Ltd
- These will operate round the clock with a pharmacy and first-aid services for passengers; Pune station’s EMR (run by Ruby Hall Clinic) already operational since 2025
🧰 Recent National-Level Developments
- In April 2025, the Railway Minister announced that in accordance with an AIIMS expert committee & Supreme Court guidance, Indian Railways will equip all passenger-carrying trains and stations with life-saving medical boxes—containing medicines, oxygen, basic equipment—and install AEDs (Automated External Defibrillators) at major stations.
- Front-line staff (TTEs, guards, station masters) receive first aid training and refresher courses, and lists of hospitals/doctors are displayed at all stations. Telemedicine facilities are also being rolled out, and ambulance services are coordinated via state/private networks
🚑 How to Get Help During an Emergency?
- On-board: Inform the Train Ticket Examiner (TTE), Guard, or Station Master who will relay to the next station doctor. Treatment is arranged at next stop while the train may wait briefly
- Use RailMadad portal or dial 139 to report—medical staff can board a doctor at next station; treatment may cost ₹100 (or waived)
- In railway accidents, Indian Railways dispatches Accident Relief Medical Vans or ARME trains, equipped with medical teams and emergency equipment, prioritized even over executive trains
📋 Summary Table
| Region / Station | EMR Status | Highlights |
|---|---|---|
| Dadar, Thane, Panvel (Mumbai area) | Operational via PPP | First aid, minor trauma, ₹100 fee waiver for passengers |
| Chennai Central + 23 Southern Railway stations | Operational | Full EMS infrastructure, defibrillator, ambulances |
| Ahmednagar & Miraj (Pune division) | Planning stage (early 2025) | Leased EMRs, pharmacy and round-the-clock doctors |
| National network (trains & stations) | In progress (as of April 2025) | Medical boxes, AEDs, telemedicine, trained staff |
✔️ Your Next Steps
- Check online station directories or press releases—for instance, Pune division EMRs details are available on the Pune Pulse site.
- Call 139 or use RailMadad in a train obviously, to report emergencies.
- At major stations, look for posted boards listing EMR, nearby hospitals, and ambulance contacts.
- Advise staff or fellow commuters to approach station master or TTE immediately if someone is injured.
Would you like station-specific details for a particular city or zone (e.g., Delhi, Kolkata, Bengaluru), or need info on medical boxes in trains or telemedicine rollouts?