Kochi: Seven-year-old Teeja Eswar was travelling to Sabarimala along with her father on Chennai Mail when the fever she was suffering got worse. Her father who came to know about the 'Train Captain' initiative of the Southern Railways immediately rang up the number displayed in the coach.
By the time the train reached the next station, Ernakulam Town, early morning on Monday, a doctor was ready there, thanks to Train Captain K. Satish Kumar who made the arrangement within minutes.
Though the train captains are appointed last week mainly to address passenger complaints about seats, they are turning out to be quite useful at times of distress too and have received widespread acceptance from passengers already.
"Like Teeja, another passenger Geeta, travelling from Chennai to Palakkad (seat no: S-3; 49), got 'fits' and was in need of emergency treatment. We succeeded in arranging for an ambulance when the train reached Katpadi Junction," said Mr Kumar, the train captain on 12623 Chennai Mail which reached its destination Monday noon.
The railways started the initiative as a measure to address complaints of refusing seats to reserved passengers, after a recent incident on a Kerala-bound Suvidha train where a group of men occupied a woman passenger's seat.
Meanwhile, with "change in their roles", the train captains have requested the authorities to provide them with walkie-talkies.
"The railways had asked us suggestions as on how to improve services. We batted for walkie-talkies. Right now, we've been given powers to directly contact officials in other departments like station masters during emergencies. We can do that only upon equipped with walkie-talkies," he said.
"The Train Captain is one of the most positive steps taken by railways for bettering commuter services. We can take up with them any issue, even delay in getting tea or coffee on board long haul trains," said Kumar Chellappan, a passenger on Chennai Express (B1; 25).
Six trains in the Southern railways, including the Chennai Express, currently has the facility.
