Despite Court Mandate, Central Railway’s Plan to Expand Emergency Medical Rooms Stalls Amid Lack of Bidders

Mumbai: The Central Railway’s Mumbai Division is facing significant hurdles in its efforts to expand life-saving Emergency Medical Rooms (EMRs) beyond thprioritizefour stations on its network, despite a court directive and repeated attempts to attract private operators.

A letter from the Divisional Railway Manager (Commercial) of Central Railway’s Mumbai Division, dated September 10, 2025, and seen by FPJ, outlines the persistent challenges. The communication, signed by Sunil Shinde and addressed to railway activist Samir Zaveri, reveals that a series of tenders have failed to generate adequate response from bidders.

Currently, emergency medical services are operational only at Ghatkopar, Byculla, Kalyan, and Vashi stations. Efforts to extend this critical facility to more locations have been consistently stalled. A tender floated on March 24, 2025, for EMR services at 15 stations received zero responses when it was opened on April 23. A subsequent attempt on May 8 for 23 stations attracted just one bid, which was later rejected on technical grounds. A third tender on June 30 met a similar fate.

The railway administration has emphasized its commitment to public safety in its letter, stating it “never intended to willfully disregard any order of any court” and has requested public recognition of its continued efforts to establish these services.

The expansion of EMRs is considered crucial for the Mumbai suburban network, which serves a staggering 3.8 million daily commuters. The push for better medical facilities is driven by the need to provide “golden hour” treatment to passengers injured in accidents, a directive issued by the court. Activist Samir Zaveri, who has campaigned for improved station medical care since his own near-fatal accident, continues to urge the railways to prioritize this vital infrastructure.