Title - Demand for amenities at Garhwa station

Garhwa railway station has been crying for basic amenities for the past several years. Till date there is nothing in the name of facility for travellers despite the fact that over 400 commuters travel to and from the railway station everyday, said railway sources here on Thursday.Situated on the Garhwa Road under Chopan rail division, the station lacks basic amenities like drinking water, a waiting room, over bridge and an inquiry counter.There is only one hand pump, which is not sufficient to quench the thirst of the large number of travelers who use this station.Garhwa railway station earns about Rs 2.4 crore revenue per annum, besides crores of rupees from transportation of raw materials.For long, the residents and commuters have been demanding the doubling of Garhwa Road-Chopan railway section.When there is a power cut, the entire station is plunged into darkness. There is no power generator. Passengers feel very insecure in the dark waiting for a train.As many as 20 trains, including six express trains, run through the station daily besides goods trains.The Garhwa Road-Chopan railway section has direct links with two metro-cities - national capital Delhi and Kolkata.Being a big market of Palamu division, the Garhwa district is known as a commercial hub in the region.The former president of the Garhwa Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI), Santosh Kesri, had handed over a memorandum to the divisional railway manager last year demanding construction of platform No.2, an over bridge, drinking water facility and an inquiry counter. But no action has been taken in this regard so far, rued local residents and businessmen.