Chandigarh, Mohali railway stations inspected

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 26

The Passenger Services Committee (PSC), nominated by the Railway Board and headed by chairman Ramesh Chandra Ratn, along with other members, inspected Chandigarh and Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar (Mohali) railway stations today. The members spoke about various issues at the station, including its redevelopment and privatisation of railways, and discussed ways in which passenger services could be improved.

Vilayati Saini, SHO, GRP, Chandigarh railway station, suggested a police booth be set up at the entrance to the station from Panchkula. He said: “This will help keep a check on crime at the station as most incidents of snatching and theft are reported from the Panchkula area of the station. I will like to appoint four guards at the booth at all times to ensure public safety.”

The members also raised the issue of absence of ATM machines at the station and assured that the machines will soon be installed. ‘Sahayaks’ at the station were also assured of proper accommodation. At the Chandigarh station, the committee members took stock of stalls and suggested that the ‘no bill no payment’ poster be put outside the stalls.

The committee announced an award of Rs10,000 for cleanliness and housekeeping services at the Chandigarh railway station and an award of Rs5,000 was also announced for cleanliness at Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar (Mohali) station.

PSC chairman gets two magazines removed from stall

While inspecting the Chandigarh railway station, the chairman asked two magazines to be removed from the multipurpose stall at platform number 1. “These lewd magazines cannot be allowed at the station,” he said. Among these two magazines, one is an English language film and lifestyle magazine and the other is a Hindi language woman’s magazine. Ramesh Chandra Ratn said: “There are several magazines and books, which are provocative for the youth, and this kind of literature, which can’t be read in front of women and children, cannot be displayed.”

Redevelopment plans for Chandigarh railway station

The Rail Land Development Authority of the Ministry of Railways has prepared a proposal regarding the redevelopment of the Chandigarh railway station, said Gian Chand Gupta, speaker of the Haryana Legislative Assembly.

Ramesh Chandra Ratn held a meeting with Gian Chand Gupta and assured him that he would take up the redevelopment project on a priority in the next meeting of the committee to be held on November 29. He said the station should be named as Panchkula-Chandigarh railway station.

He has also demanded that a 24-hour ticket counter facility should be provided at the railway station towards Panchkula on the lines of Chandigarh. “At present, morning and evening bus service has been started according to the timings of Shatabdi train, but in view of the demand of passengers, arrangements of more buses would be made,” he said.

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