RailEnquiry

Platform roofs and foot overbridges have been delayed at Kozhikode station. Delay in fund allotment has badly affected several projects at the Kozhikode railway station, which is being developed as a world-class station with excellent amenities.Construction of roofs on platforms, foot overbridges for platforms three and four, installation of lifts, and completion of beautification work at the entrance gate have been pending for several months.Though a meeting convened by the Railway authorities promised people's representatives that the issues would be addressed at the earliest, not much progress has been made months after the meeting.Proposals submitted by M.K. Raghavan, MP, and various rail users' forums have not been implemented.Rail users' association leaders said the delay in completing the roofs on the platforms would increase the hardship faced by passengers in the rainy season. The situation was the same during the monsoon last year owing to the sluggish pace of the work, they said.The lift facility planned by Railways for use of the physically challenged has also stalled with the contractor for the work dropping the project midway. Though the pillars for installing three lifts were completed in time, the contractor hesitated to continue the work as Railways reportedly failed to pay him the agreed sum.It was following frequent demands by various associations functioning for the welfare of the physically challenged that Railways had initiated steps to install the lifts at a cost of Rs.74 lakh. The associations had highlighted the difficulty experienced by the physically challenged in reaching the platforms during peak rush hours. The visually challenged too faced much hardship, they said.

Meanwhile, station manager V.V. Soman said top Railway authorities had been informed of the funds crunch.

He said several renovation works had been completed despite the shortage of funds. Work on the lifts had been handed over to another contractor after retendering. “Similarly, work on the platform roofs too will be completed at the earliest as the tenders have been floated,” he said.