Funds crunch hitting facilities at rly station: DRM by Mafia on 10 September, 2013 - 11:56 AM | ||
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Mafia | Funds crunch hitting facilities at rly station: DRM on 10 September, 2013 - 11:56 AM | |
Bathinda : Shortage of funds is the reason behind absence of facilities being provided to railway passengers. This was stated by the new Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) of Ambala Division, Anil Kumar, who was on a short visit the Bathinda Junction today.To a query as to when would the railway authorities construct a ramp to facilitate handicapped persons reach platforms, the DRM admitted that there was an acute shortage of funds. "Till the time a ramp is constructed, a trolley service will be offered to the needy from the parcel room to the platform," Kumar said.He also cited funds crunch when pointed out that the condition of the railway over bridge was bad and needed to be replaced. The reply remained the same when asked about the absence of metal detectors at the entry and exit points of the station, enough police presence and close circuit television (CCTVs) cameras.Members of the Railway Passengers' Welfare Men's Association submitted a memorandum of their demands to the DRM following which he directed officials at the railway station to pull up their socks.When it was pointed out to the DRM that a set of stairs that was constructed recently was hazardous to the passengers, he used the stairs himself and assured that railing will be erected on both the sides of the stairs to facilitate the passengers. He said it would rule out the chance of passengers hurtling down the stairs.The DRM also noticed that there was no board on the stairs informing that the stairs led to Bathinda Junction. He directed the railway authorities to get a board installed at the stairs at the earliest.He took a round of the ticketing counter and the main entry point of the railway station. When pointed out that the cleanliness of the junction was dependent on an alternative plan since the contract with a firm responsible for cleaning the station ended on July 25, he assured that a permanent solution to the problem would be made available soon as tenders have already been invited for the purpose.Notably, while close to 57 men were engaged to keep the railway junction clean, the job is being done by only a handful of persons these days. While several areas, especially the waiting room and the platforms remain littered, the places looked comparatively cleaner on Sunday since the railway station authorities had been intimated of the DRM's visit in advance. |