Screens meant to display coaches’ position lie defunct
Amit Bathla
Tribune News Service
Bathinda, June 14
Visitors and passengers at the local railway station are inconvenienced as screens meant to display the position of train coaches on platform No. 4 are lying dysfunctional.
Usually, when a train arrives on the platform, it leads to chaos as passengers with reserved tickets lookout for their respective coaches. However, vendors on the platform abate their trouble.
Today, at around 12 pm, a passenger train going to Sri Ganganagar was standing on platform No. 4, but all screens were flashing train No. 12345. Interestingly, it is the train No. of Saraighat Express, which runs between Howrah Junction and Guwahati, and has no connectivity with the Sri Ganganagar route.
Just after two hours, screens at platform No. 4 blanked out completely. Rohit (21), a Barnala resident, said, “We often commute via the Bathinda railway station. It is not an issue for us. But it becomes a severe problem for passengers, who don’t know much about the railway station and the region.”
Ram Babu (35), a vendor at the railway station, said, “Passengers often ask me which coach will come at the platform. I guide them as per my experience.”
Vijay, another vendor at the railway station, said, “There are many issues at the railway station. Tracks also stink. The Railway authorities are least bothered to keep a check on such problems.”
Out of seven platforms, only one has screens, which display information about coaches standing on platforms, and these too are not functional.
Meanwhile, Railway officials are of view that the facility would be extended to all platforms in near future.
Station Superintendent Ram Swaroop Meena said, “It is a feeding issue. I have already asked the authorities concerned to take care of it. Everything will be rectified in the coming two to three days.”
When asked when will screens be installed on other platforms, Meena said it would take some time as files had to be checked.
“I can’t comment on how much time it will take to install such screens on all platforms. A proposal in this regard has already been sent. Railways always try to improve amenities for passenger,” he added.
