Title - ON A HIGHER PLATFORM

Secunderabad railway station now has the distinction of being the first major station of the Indian Railways to have escalators on all 10 platforms and two lifts on both the entry points – the main entrance and the Bhoiguda entrance on the last platform.

The South Central Railway (SCR) authorities last week commissioned the seventh escalator on platform no. 4 and 5 and two lifts – one each on platform no. 1 and 10.

The SCR has spent about Rs. 6.60 crore towards establishing the seven escalators in the station, civil engineering works and electrical power supply arrangements etc. and Rs.98 lakh for setting up two lifts on the two main entrances.

While, the capacity of each lift is 20 persons, the rated carrying capacity of each escalator is 180 persons per minute.

On an average, it is estimated that around 43,000 passengers are using the escalators per day in the station.

These escalators and lifts facilitate easy and quick movement of passengers, especially the elderly, sick, and physically challenged persons from one platform to other, said a press release.

Meanwhile, the SCR authorities penalised about 7,200 persons in July 2013 for affecting cleanliness on the railway premises and nearly Rs. 14.61 lakh was realised from them towards penalties.

Of the 7,200 persons, 1,393 persons were detected in Secunderabad division, 573 persons in Hyderabad division, 2,393 persons in Vijayawada division, 716 persons in Nanded division, 1,306 persons in Guntakal division, and 836 persons in Guntur division.

In all, from April to July this financial year, 27,000 persons were caught for committing the offence of littering, spitting etc., on the railway premises and Rs. 54.32 lakh was realised towards penalties from them, according to a press release.