Chaos continues at Chandigarh Railway Station, visitors pay the price

Sandeep Rana

Chandigarh, January 9

In what seems to be a deliberate mismanagement by parking lot attendants, chaos continues at the city railway station, burning a hole in people’s pocket.

Visitors’ claim

• “The parking attendants deliberately create such a situation at the railway station that vehicles cannot cross the exit in the free time window. They keep arguing with the drivers,” said Manish Chauhan
• “I observed those who argued with attendants were allowed exit sans fee. It means attendants know they are at fault,” said Ravinder Kumar

Mismanagement

During rush, the three lanes are converted into four lanes. One lane is often found vacant, while there is rush on the others. Parking attendants said the vacant lane was not reserved and even pick-up and drop-off vehicles could use it, but most drivers were not aware.

Changes made recently to streamline pick-up and drop-off at the station seem to be a mere eyewash. Vehicles still remain stuck in long queues while making an exit. Frequent arguments between parking lot attendants and drivers make it impossible for others to move out in the given six-minute free pick-up and drop-off period.

“The parking attendants deliberately create such a situation that vehicles cannot cross the exit in the free time window. They stop vehicles at the counter and keep arguing with the drivers. The vehicles stuck in the queue get late for the exit,” said Manish Chauhan, a visitor to the station.

Ravinder Kumar, who had come to drop his sister at the station, said, “I got late to make an exit as I remained stuck in the jam. It took me 13 minutes to reach the exit. When I told the parking attendant that it was not my fault, they let me go. I observed those who argued with the attendants were let go without fee, while the others had to shell out Rs 50 or Rs 200. It means the attendants know they are at fault. The free time window must be extended.” A few days ago, minor modifications were made to the system, but these failed to make any difference on the ground. The railway authorities had earlier introduced three dedicated lanes with full fencing for vehicles between the entry and exit points. There was a lane each for government/private, commercial and parking vehicles. During rush, the three lanes are converted into four lanes. One lane is often found vacant, while there is rush on the others. Parking attendants said the vacant lane was not reserved and even pick-and-drop vehicles could use it, but most drivers were not aware of it.

“I think confusion is deliberately created to fleece people,” said a passenger. Once free six-minute window is breached, people are charged Rs 50 for up to 15 minutes. Thereafter, Rs 200 fee is levied on drivers. Commercial vehicles have to pay Rs 30 for the first six minutes, but the rest of the levies are the same. There is a separate parking lot where a fee of Rs 20 is charged, but most visitors are not aware of it.

Denying visitors’ claims, Mandeep Singh Bhatia, DRM, Ambala, said, “After the new changes, the results are satisfactory. Also, there are no major complaints.”