Passengers bearing the brunt of power cuts at railway station

Neeraj Bagga

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, June 15

Passengers at the railway station have to bear the brunt of long power cuts amid scorching heat.

Various services offered at the railway station to make journey of passengers convenient are frequently affected due to power outages.

Sarita, waiting with her family of five for a train, said the heat wave had turned the entire railway station into a frying pan. Ceiling fans, cold water and soft drinks are the means to beat the heat. Fans, escalators, cold water dispensing machines, fridges of vendors remain out of order.

Vendors at the railway station, seeking anonymity, said daily power outage for two to three hours was a routine affair. Power remained snapped for over 13 hours from 5 in the morning till 6 pm on Tuesday.

The 24-hour power supply has become necessary for the railway station as people-oriented facilities have been provided through electricity, besides the prohibition of the use of LPG cylinders.

Vendors are solely dependent on electricity to supply cold drinks, bottled water, tea, coffee and snacks at the station.

Baroda House, the head office of the Railways in New Delhi, has already approved the installation of power hotline (special feeder) here to ensure uninterrupted power supply at the station.