Hefty drop off charges draw railway passengers’ ire, termed ‘unrealistic’

Tribune News Service

Sanjay Bumbroo

Chandigarh, September 25

The fresh order allowing only a six-minute free window for vehicles coming to pick up or drop off passengers at the Chandigarh Railway Station gate has drawn sharp criticism from public with commuters terming it “unrealistic and impractical”.

Aimed at decongestion

The new system is aimed at decongesting the railway station, especially during the arrival and departure timings of Shatabdi — JP Singh, Chandigarh Railway Station Superintendent

Tricity residents say the new system is highly impractical, especially in the face rush of people and vehicles witnessed in the zone.

As per the new system, commercial and non-commercial vehicles coming to the railway station gate will be exempt from paying the parking fee only for the first six minutes, while Rs 50 will be charged for up to 15 minutes, Rs 200 for up to 30 minutes and Rs 1,000 for over 30 minutes.

In a letter to Minister for Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw, Shashishankar Tiwari, former member of the Zonal Railway Users Consultative Committee and president of the Purvanchal Vikas Mahasangh Tricity, has alleged local railway authorities in connivance with the Ambala Divisional Railway Manager were ripping off commuters in the name of parking and that the practice must stop immediately.

Chandigarh Int'l Airport

• No fee for first 10 mins for pickup/drop-off
• Rs 100 for over 10 mins
• Rs 40 parking fee for 30 mins

If the matter is not resolved by the authorities at the earliest, a public interest litigation will be filed in the Punjab and Haryana High Court, says the letter. They are further planning a protest in the interest of general public if the system is not reversed.

“It is nearly impossible to pick up or drop off passengers with luggage within six minutes,” he says, adding if a person gets late due to congestion, who will be responsible for the hefty charges.

With the new order in place, cab drivers will be reluctant to drop off passengers at the gate and will instead ask them alight outside the railway station, which will further put public to inconvenience.

Further, a resident has filed a complaint to the Prime Minister claiming the parking contractor had charged Rs 1,000 for 60 minutes even though the train arrived late by 45 minutes.

Chandigarh Railway Station Superintendent JP Singh, however, says the system is aimed at decongesting the railway station, especially during the arrival and departure timings of Shatabdi Express.

Public must park vehicles in designated parking lots where Rs 20 are charged for three hours. They can subsequently pick up passengers when they reach the gate, he adds.

Letter shot off to minister

• A former member of the Zonal Railway Users Consultative Committee has written to Railway Minister saying commuters are being ripped off
• He plans to file a public interest litigation in the Punjab and Haryana High Court if no action is taken by the Railway authorities
• A resident in a complaint to PM claimed Rs 1,000 was charged for 60 mins as he was forced to wait due to late arrival of train by 45 minutes

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