Title - Passengers lost in a maze at city railway station

Chandigarh: Sample this: As many as 892 passengers commute on the New Delhi-Kalka Shatabdi, but the parking space at the station can accommodate only 400 vehicles. In the parking lot, 100 slots are reserved for VIP vehicles and the rest 300 are for private vehicles, auto-rickshaws and taxis. If the number of vehicles coming to pick up or drop passengers for 15 other trains running from the city is taken into account, the enormity of the parking woes can well be imagined.Private auto-rickshaw drivers park their vehicles in the pick up and drop zone that often leads to a traffic jam in the passage.However, the grievances of the commuters and visitors to the Chandigarh Railway Station are still to catch the attention of the Union Railway Minister, Pawan Kumar Bansal, who has otherwise announced grand plans for improving the rail connectivity of the city.Hundreds of commuters visiting the station to board different trains face harassment as VIP vehicles, auto-rickshaws, and taxis are parked haphazardly in the no-vehicle zone. Right from inadequate and categorised parking lots to non-existing public transport modes like autos and taxis, the commuters find themselves lost in the sea of vehicles.During a visit to the station on the arrival of the morning Shatabdi today it was found that VIPs were a lucky lot as their vehicles were neither challaned nor removed from the lane which was earmarked as the no-vehicle zone. Interestingly, the railway traffic police that is deployed to challan the violators in the no-parking zone were busy clearing the traffic for their VIP bosses at the station.The struggle for the general commuters starts just after stepping out from the station. The station does not have sufficient parking space where those coming to receive passengers can park their vehicles, nor do the visitors have any pre-paid taxi or auto facility. As a result, the visitors are left at the mercy of the private auto-rickshaw and taxi operators who charge exorbitant fares to drop them at their destination.Adding to the woes, they have to struggle to move out as those coming to receive passengers, park their vehicles in the lane in front of the station since no-parking space is available at the parking lot. Even the passage which is earmarked for the pick up and drop facility for the auto-rickshaws and taxi operators is encroached upon by the auto drivers to crack a deal with the visitors for dropping them at their destination.A sahayata kendra (assistance booth), which was set up to assist visitors coming to the city, lies vacant; and (right) a board showing the fare still exists.Records of the railway authorities revealed that three years ago a pre-paid auto booth, which was set up by the Chandigarh police was shut down, as the railway authorities had made objection that the UT Administration had not taken any permission for the same. In fact, the taxi stand which was proposed by the railway department in 1996 has not yet seen the light of the day, due to which there is no proper taxi stand from where the commuters can hire taxis.

Tourist police of little help

The tourist police deployed by the Chandigarh Police at the station to guide the visitors are of little help as they cannot assist any commuter to get a taxi or an auto as they are not available at the station and the commuters have to bargain on their own with the private auto drivers, who charge exorbitant fare.

Information boards misguide visitors

Interestingly, the UT Administration which has withdrawn their radio cab taxi and auto-rickshaw facility from the station still have their information boards at the entrance point of the station. The visitors coming to the city for the first time are clueless about the withdrawal of the services and keep trying to get the pre-paid service facility.

No parking space for physically challenged

The chain barricade which was installed to cordon off the parking space for the physically challenged is not removed during the arrival of any train due to which the differently abled face problem while parking their vehicles.

No plans to set up a taxi stand

Since Union Railway Minister Pawan Bansal took over the reins of the railway ministry, the railway officials have been on their toes to renovate the station premises, but ironically, the minister has reportedly given no directions for streamlining the private transport system at the station. Railways Senior Divisional Commercial Manager GM Singh said that the department had no plans for setting up a taxi stand but a thought could be given to reopening the pre-paid auto stand.

Sahayata kendra lying vacant

The assistance booth located on platform number one has no railway official for extending any help to visitors. The booth at the station is vacant.

Since the parking lot of the railway station is jampacked, commuters visiting the station after the arrival of the Shatabdi are forced to park their vehicles on the roadside.

The UT Administration has withdrawn the pre-paid taxi service, yet a booth