Elderly, differently abled suffer for want of escalator, lifts

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, October 20

The project to install escalators and elevators at the city railway station has been hanging fire for the past one year. As a result, passengers, especially elderly and physically challenged, face a lot of inconvenience while using the stairs.

Hundreds of passengers visiting the railway station continue to face difficulty in reaching platforms as they have to not only walk across a 110-metre-long ramp, but they have to climb the stairs.

There was a proposal to install an escalator and lift each at both sides of the foot overbridge for the convenience of passengers. More than a year has passed, but the project is yet to see the light of day.

Passengers rue that it is difficult for them to reach platforms as they have to climb the stairs with luggage.

Differently abled and elderly persons and women with children have to face trouble in reaching platforms.

Hargobind Kaur (62), a passenger, said, “It is so tiresome for me that I have to take a breather repeatedly after covering every few steps. The authorities must install lifts at the railway station so elderly persons like me can easily reach the platforms.”

Harkirat Singh, another passenger, said, “It is really difficult to climb the stairs after walking across the 110-metre-long ramp. I somehow manage to climb the stairs, but what about physically disabled and elderly persons. The number of passengers at one of the busiest railway junctions in the region has increased manifold. It is high time for the authorities to install lifts and escalators at the railway station here.”

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