On Rail Budget day, passengers of Mahabodhi Express face tough time


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New Delhi, Jul 9, 2014 : Union railway minister Sadananda Gowda had just finished his Budget speech when passengers waiting at New Delhi railway station learnt from the public address system that Mahabodhi Express’s departure had been delayed by two hours. One of the most sought after trains, it plies between New Delhi and Gaya. What followed won’t usually make news but is a regular affair which no one pays any attention to.

 

Many of these passengers travelling in the general compartments had already been waiting for a few hours in the sweltering heat. They realized there was no place for them to rest. All the waiting rooms were packed to capacity. "I came here at 11 for the train that starts at 2, and there are some who came an hour earlier to stand in the queue for a seat in the general compartment," complained passenger Monodeep Saha.

 

 

"We will have to wait for the train here because the waiting halls are on the other platforms and it isn’t possible to walk up and down the stairs with the luggage," said Vijay Raj Sonu.

 

The station receives a footfall of over 5 lakh passengers and handles 300 trains daily but railways have made arrangements for only 5000 passengers. This includes the air-conditioned, non-airconditioned and waiting halls for women. With few benches on the platform, the passengers sat down on the floor.

 

The heat made thousands of passengers queue up at the few water dispensers on the platform, forcing the rest to make trips to the vendor close by. Potable water, though not scarce, was not freely available because of the broken fittings and fixtures. Some at the station say the taps are deliberately targeted by the vendors. Railway sources plead helplessness, saying they can’t man the supply 24X7. Ironically, the minister has promised RO water at stations in his budget speech.

 

Waiting for the train, those who had to answer the call of nature had to travel to another platform and use very poorly maintained toilets. Not only were they clogged and stinking, they couldn’t have been used by disabled passengers. In fact, the station is not quite disabled-friendly. While golf carts have been made available at either end, they can’t access all the platforms easily. So, the only alternative is to be carried on a wheelchair to the end of the platform, the area where cargo moves between the passing of trains.

 

The ordeal for the Mahabodhi Express passengers had begun even before the delay was announced. Walking past the non-functional baggage scanner, a major security lapse, at the Ajmeri Gate side, the elderly had to take to the stairs because the escalator on that side of the station has been out of order for several months. Anant Patel had just arrived in the station along with some old members of his family and was climbing up the stairs from the Ajmeri Gate side because the escalators on that side were dysfunctional. "It is obviously a pain to be carrying the luggage and taking care of the old ladies traveling with us simulataneously as we climb the stairs. The last time we came here three months back this escalator was in the same condition. The railway people should show some concern for the elderly, as Delhi Metro has in its infrastructure," said Patel.

 

Gowda on Tuesday promised to provide lifts and escalators at stations through PPP mode. In a recent survey, one baggage scanner, five door-frame metal detectors and eight CCTVs were found to be defunct at the station.

 

For those leaving the station, getting out is another hassle. A separate pre-paid taxi and auto booth had been inaugurated last year but the dedicated lanes right outside the railway station have seen both passengers and vehicles dwindle. There is no deterrence for other autos to hang around the area and many passengers end up hiring them and getting fleeced.

 

 

 

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