The Central and Western Railways today told the Bombay High Court that they proposed to levy a cess on suburban commuters to finance emergency medical care at stations but were asked by the bench to reconsider their decision as it was their statutory obligation to provide such service.

"In keeping with the court orders, the Railways have to provide at their own cost an emergency medical room equipped with a bed, doctor and a nurse at every station and also keep ambulance as stand by to shift injured to hospitals in case of accidents," said a bench headed by Justice Abjay Oka. As far as possible, the cost of such emergency medical services should be borne by the Railways, the bench said and asked the authorities to reconsider their decision of levying an additional charge on the commuters in tickets.