Trichy: The death of a 55-year-old, allegedly due to cardiac arrest, at the Trichy Junction Railway station on Monday has reinforced the need for battery-powered cars to be operated on all platforms. At present, the facility is available only on platform no. 1.
On Monday afternoon, N Ramakrishnan, 55, who came from Chennai in Guruvayur Express, collapsed on platform no. 5. When his relatives tried to get a battery-powered car to shift him to a nearby hospital, railway officials cited restriction on entry of the vehicle into platform 5.
Dr Kader Sahib, cardiologist, Apollo Hospitals, Trichy, said lifting luggage might aggravate existing heart-related problems. But it could not be the only reason, he added.
In a communication last month, the commercial section of the railway station restricted battery-powered car facility to platform no. 1 alone. A senior railway official said, "The direction was issued in March this year after an accident involving a disabled-person."
Prior to the issuance of the direction, the battery-operated car facility was extended till platform 7.
Secretary of an association for disabled people, Abdul Jabbar said, "The railways' decision to operate battery-powered car facility only on platform 1 is highly condemnable. The decision will affect thousands of disabled people and senior citizens."
The association is planning to take the issue with the railways, he said.