Title - Railway station a picture of neglect

Chandigarh:
The portion of the city railway station falling on the Panchkula side is a picture of neglect. It has always got a "stepmotherly treatment" from the authorities. Although a number of proposals have been mooted by the authorities for this side, no project has seen the light of day.

Renovation of building

A proposal to construct eight rooms on the Panchkula side of the station was sanctioned. These included waiting rooms and an administrative block for accommodating the staff.As per the proposal, four rooms were to be used as waiting rooms, two each for general category and first-class commuters.In the remaining rooms, the administrative staff of the Railways, including the deputy station superintendent and ticketing staff, were to be accommodated. However, no work on the project has commenced so far.At present there is only one waiting room on the Panchkula side, in which every category of commuters is accommodated. Moreover, there is only one ticketing counter for the reservation of tickets.

Additional platform

The proposal for construction of two more yards (stabling line) was proposed by the authorities. These yards were to be used for cleaning trains after the journey. In addition to it, a platform (number 6) was to be constructed, keeping in view the increase in number of trains plying to and from the city.

Till date, however, the work has not been sanctioned by the authorities.

Lack of security

How ill-equipped the station is can be gauged from the fact that on the Panchkula side there are multiple unmanned entrances.

No scanning equipment or metal detectors have been installed at any of the entry points, except the deployment of two ill-equipped railway police force (RPF) officials for security check and to avoid any untoward incident. Officials said there were no fresh proposals for enhancing the security on that side.

He said the security arrangements would be reviewed after the renovation of the building.