Railway station waiting room sans AC

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, June 22

One of the biggest junctions of Asia, Bathinda has an an air-conditioned (AC) upper class waiting room constructed at a cost of Rs 20 lakh for passengers. But unfortunately, the railway officials have forgotten to install AC, LED TV and CCTV cameras in it.

A number of passengers have alleged that despite the charging of full fare, including taxes, Bathinda railway junction has not been able to provide the basic facilities to the passengers travelling.

Arvinder Singh, a passenger, said, “Many a time, the air-conditioned upper class waiting room was locked from the inside and we had to go back to the platform.”

Sunaina Kapoor, another passenger, said, “It is difficult in this hot and sultry weather to sit in the waiting hall with kids and wait for hours without AC. It is almost impossible.”

According to sources, passengers argue with the railways employees for not providing air-conditioners in the AC waiting room. Some of the passengers even complained about it, but in vain.

A railway official said, “Until ACs, LED TVs and CCTV cameras are installed in the upper class waiting room, it should not have been open for the passengers. Because of this, altercation between passengers and railway employees are occurring.”

Moreover, from the security point of view, without CCTV cameras, the upper class AC waiting room is not safe at all. Due to this, we unwillingly have to appoint an employee round the clock there.

Station Superintendent Ram Swaroop Meena, Said, “The authorities had already brought the problem to the notice of the Ambala railway divison and soon all the problems relating to the upper class waiting room would be resolved.”