TIRUCHY: The absence of a round-the-clock pharmacy at Tiruchy railway junction has been a cause of inconvenience for passengers, particularly senior citizens. Urging the railways to take the steps required, passengers said they are now forced to travel over one kilometre to reach the nearest pharmacy. MK Tyagarajan, a senior citizen and a regular passenger, said,
"I am a diabetic patient. Recently, I headed to the railway junction to board the Tea Garden Express (Ernakulam-Karaikkal). Upon arrival, I realised that I forgot to carry my medicines. I approached the emergency care centre in the station, where officials told me they are equipped with only first-aid items. I was left with no other option but to hire an autorickshaw to the nearest pharmacy, which is over a kilometre away from the station, to buy the medicines required."
Some of the passengers rued autorickshaws charge nearly Rs 200 at night to reach the pharmacy nearest to the station. RK Pillai, another rail user, said, "One of the rail users had to travel all the way to MGMGH to buy medicines due to the absence of a pharmacy at the station. The travel charge alone cost him about Rs 250. I was once faced with a similar situation.
The railway stations in Thanjavur and Villupuram and other districts, too, lack a pharmacy." Senior railway officials said steps are being taken to set up pharmacies at the railway stations. "The Indian Railways has decided to establish Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Kendras (PMBJKs) in railway stations.
This will ensure access to affordable medicines for passengers. Tiruchy railway junction is among the stations that have figured in their list. Rail users in Tiruchy can expect a pharmacy soon," a senior railway official said.