Abandoned rly buildings a safe haven for miscreants

Ravi Chandel

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, May 23

The railway authorities had, in the past, shortlisted more than 50 dilapidated buildings in the Bathinda railway line area for demolition but nothing concrete has been done in the matter till now.

As a result, these buildings have become a safe haven for drug addicts and miscreants who create a nuisance for residents living near these buildings.

As per railway records, there are 30 abandoned quarters and 15 abandoned service buildings that were to be demolished.

It is pertinent to mention here, when Bathinda Tribune had highlighted this issue last year, the Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) Dinesh Chander Sharma said these abandoned buildings would be demolished within the next few months, but till date no steps has been initiated by the authorities concerned.

Railway colony residents rued that these abandoned buildings were not really a problem but what concerns us are the miscreants using these buildings for ‘nefarious activities’. Besides, the GRP officials were also least bothered to ensure intensive vigil to avoid misuse of these buildings.

Mohan Panwar, a resident of railway line area, said, “In the recent past a number of theft and snatching incidents occurred in the area but nothing has been done by GRP authorities till now.”

The matter is well within the knowledge of GRP officials but they are wary to take any action against these miscreants for the reasons best known to them, he added.

A railway employee, pleading anonymity, said, “These unsafe buildings pose a serious threat to the employees working in nearby buildings. Time and again, the railway authorities have floated tenders to demolish these building but later cancel them.”

When contacted, Harjinder Singh, SHO, GRP, refuted the allegations of the railway line area residents and said, “These buildings are surrounded with overgrown weed. There is barely any chance that any human would ever dare to enter in such places.”

However, he accepted that one incident near the Multania flyover had occurred in the recent past in which they had nabbed the thieves.

On the other hand, DRM Dinesh Chander Sharma and ADRM Kuldip Singh could not be contacted despite repeated attempts.