Title - Station drains passenger troubles

Tatanagar has once again lived up to its A-category sobriquet. The engineering department of Chakradharpur railway division is working overtime to transform a 15-feet-long trench, which was dug up last month and had turned into a breeding ground for mosquitoes, into the proposed drain to prevent waterlogging near the station gate. In a report on September 6, The Telegraph had highlighted how the trench was causing troubles too many for passengers and vendors alike. While the stink and squelch had prompted vendors to shift their stalls, 40,000-odd passengers were forced to risk the unhygienic surroundings to board trains from Tatanagar. Let alone the sting trouble, the five-metre-deep trench had also been posing serious threat to life and limb. Last week, a child had tripped and fallen into the hole. Fortunately for him, passers-by had noticed the mishap on time and initiated a rescue act. "Inconvenience of passengers is a matter that calls for serious concern. Soon after the report appeared, the Chakradharpur authorities issued directives to the engineering wing for completing the drain work at the earliest. Water, which had accumulated in the trench was pumped out on Monday, and construction work has begun," said Rajeshwar Choudhary, station manager, Tatanagar. The engineering department has pressed into service about a dozen workers to clean the trench and line it with concrete. "It will take another two days to complete the job," an official supervising the work said. He added that the construction of the drain was essential to stop both sewage water and rainwater from remaining stagnant near the entrance of the station. The move has made vendors heave a sigh of relief. "We had lodged a complaint with the local railway authorities about the unhygienic condition because the drain work was being delayed. But, it is better late than never. The station guardians swung into action after your newspaper published pictures. We are glad," said one of them who identified himself as Ram Babu. He added that he would return to his original spot and set up shop once the drain was ready. A senior functionary of Chotanagpur Passenger Association, B.N. Pande, said callousness in executing such a minor project would have been a permanent blemish for Tatanagar. "But fortunately, the authorities acted before it is was too late."