Open house: Is reserving lane for influential people & promoting VIP culture at Chandigarh railway station justified?

Justified, if lane is managed properly

Introduction of a VIP lane at the Chandigarh railway station is justified provided it is managed in a manner, which does not cause inconvenience to the general public. Moreover, making it accessible to physically challenged and senior citizens will make it more viable.

Sapna Sharda, Chandigarh

People are supreme in democracy

In democracy, people are supreme and the government must take care of their comforts rather than bureaucrats, who become VIPs and VVIPs. Why normal passengers should suffer due to the VIP lane at the UT railway station? Why can’t VIPs walk to parking lots where cars are parked?

Capt Amar Jeet (retd), Kharar

All are equal in eyes of law

By reserving a lane for influential people at the UT railway station the government is discriminating among people. Under the Constitution, every citizen is equal in the eyes of law and has fundamental rights. Due to VIP culture common people have to wait in long queues for ticket or to reach to their respective platform. To provide security and safe environment to the VIPs in this way is not justified. The government already provides VIPs security to protect them. VIP culture should be banned so that it’s easy for the common people to visit railway station.

Samridhi Sharma, Panchkula

Everyone must be treated equally

In a democratic country people are supreme, so a separate VIP lane at railway station is totally unjustified. Inconvenience to common people in the garb of security to VIP is a lame excuse given by the Railway Police. Let everyone be treated equally. The sooner this VIP culture is abolished in our country the better it will be.

Dr HS Dhanoa, Chandigarh

Help commuters

There can’t be two views about the fact that granting special treatment to VIPs under the garb of providing safe and secure passage at Chandigarh railway station could hardly be justified. Why some people continue to be more equal than others across the nation? In all fairness, the SHO (GRP) concerned ought to be similarly concerned about the resultant plight of the ordinary mortals as he remains duty bound to ensure their basic convenience too. Mind you, one has to walk into the shoes of any ‘sufferer’ for realising the gravity of his/her pain and agony? Let the station authorities and the Railway police come to the immediate help of the whole lot of hapless train commuters instead of further ‘promoting’ the VIP culture here.

Vinayak, Panchkula

An anti-public move

In the present day fast life, do genuine VIPs have enough time for rail travel, particularly when the tricity is well connected by air? Not really. The general public, therefore, fails to understand as to whom the police is providing a separate approach and exit road upto the entry point at the Chandigarh railway station. If the proactive police goes ahead with this misadventure without any written orders, it will be encouraging discontentment amongst train travellers. Brawls and rowdyism will be hard to control at the entry point due to the anti-people move. There is still time to review this facility provided for so called VIPs.

Subhash Luthra, Chandigarh

Shun VIP ministration

Reservation of the lane at UT railway station for the “influential people” is a bootless errand for individual citizens. Civilians tend to endure when special consideration is given to VIPs. To maintain propriety for all, the focus should be on smooth traffic flow by deploying a team for effective management. VIP ministration should desist as it is pessimistic.

Muskan Dixit, Chandigarh

Give priority to emergency vehicles

Time is ripe to end VIP culture as it inconveniences not only common man, but is also a liability for the government. Recently, am AAP leader in Punjab came on bicycle to take oath of an MLA and set an example to end the VIP culture. There is saying charity begins at home. Let the authorities concerned dispense with the concept of separate lane for VIPs at the Chandigarh railway station. Give priority to ambulance, fire tenders and other emergency service vehicles at the railway station.

Col TBS Bedi (retd), Mohali

An anomaly in democracy

Earmarking a separate VIP lane at the UT railway station is unjustified and an anomaly in a democracy. Ministers and bureaucrats are public servants as they themselves admit in speeches. So where is the justification of masters (the public) being made to suffer to facilitate and pander to egos of servants? While elderly, frail, handicapped people, pregnant women or those with infants are made to walk a long way while carrying their luggage pot-bellied ‘netas’ and healthy young public servants alight from their cars at platform and are servilely escorted to the train. Irony is that these VIPs are freeloaders and are enjoying privileges denied to passengers. Such things have no place in a democracy.

Bubby Soin, Chandigarh

Special treatment must be curbed

It is unfair on the part of the authorities at the Chandigarh railway station to reserve a lane for the influential people. This type of VIP culture must be shunned, whereas it is being promoted under the pretext of security threat. Even if such threats persist, then temporary arrangements can be made depending upon the situation, but reserving a permanent lane will encourage its misuse. The special treatment must be curbed so as to facilitate the smooth movement of the general public. This type of treatment is not at all justified, especially when already the VIP culture is at its height in our country.

Bir Devinder Singh Bedi, Sangrur

Only Few VIPs travel by train

A separate VIP lane at the UT railway station is not justified as it causes unnecessary harassment to travellers. It is a known fact that very few actual VIPs commute by train. Such lane should be used by disabled and senior citizens. The authorities should move towards people-friendly and not a VIP-friendly culture at the railway station.

Sunny Dhaliwal, Chandigarh

VIP lane must be open to public

The VIP culture at Chandigarh railway station is not justified. Whenever any VIP boards a train, he/she should instruct his personal security to make sure that no passenger gets stuck in the way due to him/her. While any VIP is at railway station no ambulance or person with disabilities should be stopped. Rather, such persons should be given a safe passage. The authorities should open separate lane for the privileged at the railway station for the general public.

MR Bhateja, Nayagaon

Make arrangements for vips if required

VIP culture, which we inherited from the British, has ruined India. There are no official orders from any authority for providing special lane for the influential people. Instead of controlling the traffic the police have made special lane for their own convenience, which inconveniences public. All lanes at the railway station should be open for the public and commuters. The police should mange traffic at the railway station. If the police get official information of some VIP’s visit at the railway station, then necessary arrangements can be made if required.

Sukhwant Bhullar, Chandigarh

Excess facilities spoil VIPs

Everyone is equal in the public as per the Indian Constitution. All rich, poor, politicians and bureaucrats have the same status at public places. The UT Administration cannot discriminate among people. Excess facilities spoil VIPs. The law is made for the people and not people for the law. People have always raised their voice against discrimination. There is no need to provide a special lane for VIPs.

Sumesh Kumar Badhwar, Mohali

Withdraw all privileges of VIPs

Chandigarh is a city of VIPs. Any Tom, Harry or Dick is a VIP in the city. He/she moves around with an army of security guards to reflect his/her status in the city. In pre-Independence India, Maharajas had dedicated railway lines up to their palaces. And VIPs of the city want to match up with that level in the new environment. Keeping one lane reserved for VIPs all the time at the Chandigarh railway station is just the stupidity of the authorities. All such special privileges must be withdrawn from VIPs.

Suresh Verma, Chandigarh

VIPs have assistants

Rather than promoting VIP culture at the railway station, the authorities concerned should maintain one separate lane for disabled, senior citizens, pregnant women, women with toddlers and those, who are not in a position to walk properly due to illness. This way rush can be controlled and such people will be at ease too. VIPs are already in good health, have wealth and servants/assistants. They don’t need special attention.

Abhilasha Gupta, Mohali

Lane remains empty throughout day

A separate VIP lane, which leads to the railway station’s main entrance, prohibits the entry of private vehicles and reduced the width of the adjacent lane for the general public. However, the GRP claims that the idea of creating a separate lane for VIPs is to ensure their safety and the smooth flow of traffic at the main entrance to the station. One can easily find that the VIP lane remains empty throughout the day. It can be merged with the lane used by the public to make it wider. It will certainly help the common man visiting railway station. There are many other ways to manage VIP movement whenever needed.

Sanjay Chopra, Mohali

Public-centric amenities required

All parties advocate against the promotion of VIP culture. A permanent lane for VIPs is not required at the Chandigarh railway station. VIPs rarely visit railway station. Only a few of them take trains to reach their destinations. The VIP lane if opened for all can decongest the railway station during rush hours. The city should have general public-centric amenities. Why should the public suffer for VIPs?

Bharat Bhushan Sharma, Chandigarh

No clarity on who can use vip lane

There is no clarity on, who can use the VIP lane at the Chandigarh railway station. If there is no inconvenience to the common people, a lane reserved for VIPs is not a bad idea. In the past there have incidents of breach in security of VIPs. It is time to delink safety and security from privilege and VIP culture.

Vidya Sagar Garg, Panchkula

Most VIPs travel by air

The Administration must clarify on VIPs. States have their own choppers/flights for VIPs. Most of them travel by air. Reserving a lane for VIPs at the UT railway station inconveniences common man. The movement of VIPs should be intimated to the Chandigarh Police, who can ensure safe and secure passage for them, besides control chaos.

Col Balbir Singh Mathauda (retd), Chandigarh

VIPs can afford air travel

On one hand the Administration and the Centre boast of providing world class facilities at airports and railway stations and on the other they are promoting VIP culture at public places. The VIP treatment to influential persons comes at the cost of tax paid by the common man. Let the VIPs pay for using special lane and the Railways can earn some revenue. Besides, VVIP’s don’t travel by train as they can easily afford air travel.

Savita Kuthiala, Chandigarh

Important persons must have security

According to the Article 14 of the Indian Constitution, every citizen should be treated equally and have protection of the law. Earlier, the British created a huge gap between the rich and the poor by making first class and second class compartment in trains. All people are equal before law, but there respected and important persons must be provided security.

Adish Sood, Amloh

A lopsided decision taken in hurry

Chandigarh, being the joint capital of Punjab and Haryana, the VIP culture here appears to be the order of the day. Sample this. Reserving a lane apparently for the ‘privileged few’ at the Chandigarh railway station has been the latest instance added to the tally. The decision is lop-sided and seems to have been taken in a tearing hurry, leaving others high and dry. Our elected representatives, touted to be our role models, must emulate what leaders from some other countries of the world follow. The dispensation needs to review its decision on securing a safer passage for VIPs at the railway station.

Ramesh K Dhiman, Chandigarh

A nexus of politicians, bureaucrats

It is not only the Chandigarh railway station as pointed out by The Tribune, the VIP culture prevails everywhere across the sovereign state, which is detrimental for residents. In fact, over the years the politician, bureaucrat nexus created a hoax that there was a danger to their lives or their families. So, they needed VIP services. It is paramount duty of the state to give every facility to its citizens everywhere, be it Chandigarh railway station, market places or anywhere else. The whole gamut of unauthorised persons becoming VIPs will not go till politicians and bureaucrats become human resource sensitive and takes full responsibilities for their duty towards the common man.

SK Khosla, Chandigarh

Upgrade rly station infrastructure

VIP culture is not only promoted at the UT railway station, but everywhere else too. It is not bad, but such practice should be in limits and not inconvenience common people. The government should upgrade infrastructure at the railway station rather than only promoting VIP culture.

Avinash Goyal, Chandigarh

Decision must be revoked

The decision of the GRP to make a special lane for the so-called influential people reflects the fact that the VIP culture has not ended even after 75 years of Independence in the country. This decision should be revoked since our Constitution treats everyone as equal. A separate lane will create hassles for the common people. Besides, how many Indian VIPs travel by trains?

Saikrit Gulati, Chandigarh

Security officials can take care of VIPs

Crores of taxpayers’ money is wasted on promoting the VIP culture in the country. The recent such culture is being promoted at the Chandigarh railway station where there is already a traffic chaos. By earmarking a separate lane for VIPs at the railway station will further aggravate the problem of traffic management. The authorities must do away with all such special treatments to VIPs at least at the public transport places. These VIPs already have security officials with them. These officials themselves can take care of VIPs boarding and de-boarding trains. In a democratic country there should not be any VIP culture.

Dr Anil Kumar Yadav, Chandigarh

QUESTION

The PGI contract workers’ union had recently decided to go on strike following which the hospital authorities decided to suspend OPD and elective OT services. The strike was, however, called off after the Punjab and Haryana High Court restrained the workers from proceeding on the strike. Still, around 4,000 patients were turned away as the worker union delayed its decision to call off the strike. Is holding strike by disrupting healthcare services and causing unease to patients the right approach to raise demands?

Suggestions in not more than 70 words can be sent to openhouse@tribunemail.com