Display boards blink, rail passengers face problems

Sameer Singh

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, December 10

Passengers have to face inconvenience as the digital train information display boards installed at the city railway station have been lying non-functional for the past many days.

Without knowledge of their train’s arrival/departure time, passengers can be seen moving around at the platforms, making enquiries from other passengers.

The local railway authorities had installed display boards at the entrance and near platform number 3 and 4.

The DDBs were installed to provide real-time information to the passengers so that they can travel in a hassle-free manner.

Apart from train’s arrival and departure timings, the electronic display boards also provide the indication of coach position at the platforms.

Since the display boards are lying non-functional, passengers can be rushing from one side of the platform to the other to reach their coach.

Harman Khurana, a passenger who frequently travels out of the city for work, said, “While it is easier for us to know about the arrival, departure or position of coaches at the platforms, passengers coming for the first time are a troubled lot. The Railways earns huge revenue from passenger services but the authorities have failed to provide essential amenities for passengers’ convenience so that they can get information/status of departure and arrival and coach indication.”

Khurana added that as chaos prevails after the arrival of trains, there have been instances where passengers even missed their trains.

Some passengers said, “As the display boards are not functioning, the information on train arrival and departure is not displayed. At the enquiry window, they provide you with information regarding it, but it takes a long time as we have to wait in long queues.”

Station superintendent Ramswaroop Meena said, “Major repair work is underway at the railway station, so wires of display board were disconnected on temporary basis. Since the repair work would continue now, it might take some time before the DDBs can be made operational again.”