Shortage of benches at rly platforms irks passengers

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, September 19

As far as comfort is concerned the railway authorities are least courteous about passengers, who wait for their trains at the station, for hours’ altogether.

Due to inadequate seating arrangements and low capacity of waiting rooms, passengers have to sit on floor at platforms as they wait for their trains.

The local railway station is one of the highest contributors to revenue of the Indian Railways. According to the authorities the average daily footfall at the railway station is 30,000 persons. A large number of passengers from all over India arrive in the holy city by train to pay obeisance at the Golden Temple.

The station also accommodates the transit passengers from Delhi to Jammu and Kashmir. There are two waiting rooms, including a separate room for women passengers, at the station. Seating capacity of one waiting room is 25 persons. Benches have also been installed on platforms. A hall near ticket window also has a few benches. A huge ceiling fan was installed in the hall recently. Ironically, no seats have been provided under the fan.

On September 16, a team of Passengers Amenities Committee (PAC) accompanied by Rajya Sabha member Shwait Malik visited the railway station to check facilities provided to passengers. They raised several issues, but gave seating arrangement at the railway station a miss.

The sources said delay of trains was quite common. “Commuters have to wait for hours to board trains. Due to some technical hitch, trains halt in the outer areas of the city, which leads to delay,” they added.

Gurjant Singh, a passenger said, “We reached station one hour before scheduled time of the train to New Delhi. Now, we have heard the announcement that departure of train has been delayed by two hours. We have no other option rather than to sit on ground as all benches on the platform are occupied.”