RailEnquiry

Tatanagar station is set for a December makeover with lanes for vehicles to drop and pick up passengers, a separate pathway for those lugging their own luggage, a well-lit facade and a sprawling parking lot. Chakradharpur railway division has begun work to make Tatanagar, the only A-list station on its rolls, more welcoming. Railway authorities at Tatanagar said construction of 15m wide lanes had begun. The separate pathway ' to be 3m wide and meant for passengers walking with luggage ' will connect Tata-Chaibasa Road and the station's portico. The pathway will also boast a decorated covered shade. "We want to decongest the station, especially parking area," said station manager Rajeshwar Choudhary. "According to plan, two spacious parking slots for cars and two-wheelers will come up close to the existing fountain," he added. Anil Kumar Chaudhary, the railway contractor entrusted with the job of remodelling the parking zone, said the swanky facelift would be ready by 2012-end. "The revamp will cost close to Rs 1 crore. It will give a completely different look to Tatanagar station's entrance," said the contractor. The station manager also pointed out the obvious advantages of the 15-metre wide vehicular lanes. "Vehicles can come right till the portico, drop or pick up passengers and drive away," he said, adding that owners would have to pay for parking. The new lanes and parking will doubtless increase the number of vehicles on station premises. Right now, the parking zone can accommodate 200 cars and 500 two-wheelers. The revamp will also include amenities such as seats and aesthetic touches such as fountains on both sides of the station building. A source said Chakradharpur railway division had initiated talks with a Calcutta firm to put up fountains and beautify the area.