Efforts on to upgrade passenger amenities at railway station

Dehradun, March 25
To upgrade passenger amenities, efforts are on at the Dehradun railway station these days. Though the station authorities rue delay in fund releases by the department for upgrading the infrastructure, the installation of electronic display system at several places of the railway stations has.

"On the directions of Moradabad Division Railway, these electronic display boards are being installed at platforms and on the overhead footbridge connecting all the six platforms for the very first time," confirmed S D Dobhal, station superintendent.

"These devices would not only make commuters aware about trains and their positioning but would lessen our burden as most of the passengers come to us with their queries," he added.

These display gadgets are being supplied by a railway company SNT and would turn operational as soon as their fixing work gets over.

The passengers are elated by the new mechanism to be started at the railway platforms. "All the major railway stations in the country have these E machines to update information regarding trains and the positioning of their coaches. Though, it has arrived late to the platforms of Dehradun railway station but I am happy that it would prevent passengers from inconvenience," said Sushil Kapoor, a frequent traveller.

However, Ugrasen Singh, secretary, Northern Railway Men's Union, Uttarakhand, is of the opinion that these upgradations won't help the railway station or passengers in the longer run.

"The department should ponder over expanding the platforms to accommodate at least 13 coaches of a train altogether, remodeling of the washing yard or making toilets and urinals on every platform for the convenience of the passengers," he emphasised.

"To curb down the inconvenience caused to passengers in the summer rush, the department should think over starting seasonal trains or adding more coaches to the existing long-distance trains," he asserted.