Lifts lying non-operational sans safety certificate at railway station

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, April 4

Even as the installation work of two lifts was completed around a month ago, the railway authorities have failed to make it operational in the absence of safety certificate. As a result, hundreds of passengers visiting the city railway station continue to face difficulty.

Under the project, two lifts and two escalators were to be introduced at the station. While the project to install the two lifts was completed after several hiccups, the work to instal the escalators is still lying pending.

At the time of a visit by senior railway officials, such as Northern Railway General Manager TP Singh along with other officials around 20 days ago, the local railway authorities had operated the lifts for the team, but after that these were never made operational.

Sources at the railway station said the deadline for handing over the project work of the lifts with safety certification to the local railway authorities was March 31. Though five days have passed after the deadline, the lifts could not be made operational and passengers continue to face difficulties as they have to climb the stairs.

Ravneet Kaur, a passenger, said, “What is the use of installing the lifts if they cannot be made operational? If the railways have introduced a facility then it must be opened to public at the earliest. The summer season has set in and it would be of great help if the lifts are made operational soon. Passengers, especially elderly and handicapped persons, would be benefitted by the facility.”

Another passenger Gurmukh Singh said, “It is so tiresome for me that I have to take a break repeatedly after covering every few steps. The authorities must start the lifts so that elderly persons can easily reach the platforms.”

Station superintendent Ramswaroop Meena could not be contacted despite repeated attempts.