Defunct escalators add to woes of passengers

Amritsar, February 23

Passengers, especially old, infirm and physically challenged, are an inconvenienced lot as the railway authorities have not got the escalators and lifts repaired.

The escalators and lifts have been lying closed due to a technical snag for the past few days. The railway station authorities are waiting for technical experts of a private company to come and repair it.

Daily passengers complain that these machines often develop snags causing inconvenience to visitors. A number of commuters complained that with the elevators and lifts going out of order frequently, climbing the platform stairs becomes an arduous task for many.

Paraminder Singh, a visitor, said it was difficult to climb up and down the stationary escalator as its steps were greater in number than ordinary stairs. Passengers with bag and baggage have to struggle more to cross over to the other side of the platform.

Shobhit Gupta, a daily passenger, said it would have been much better if a concrete ramp was also laid, beside the escalator to provide an alternative to passengers on either side.

Commuters face inconvenience while transporting their articles from one platform to another. The situation turns worse when both escalators and lifts stop functioning. The facility is a necessity for elderly people and children as they find it tough to climb so many stairs at the busy railway station. It was in December 2013 that the escalator was installed at the local railway station. Now, what is more irksome for passengers is that it lies non-functional most of the time.