Travellers harassed as escalators on Panchkula side of Chandigarh Railway Station shut

The lifts and escalators on the Panchkula side of Chandigarh Railway Station are lying non-functional, posing inconvenience to people, especially senior citizens and persons with disabilities.

Complaints filed by residents have so far been redirected by the Station Manager to the Senior Commercial Manager of Ambala Division, Naveen Kumar Jha.

As attempts to seek redressal through traditional means at the railway station proved ineffective, citizens flagged the issue on the Central Public Grievances Redressal and Management System (CPGRAMS), the primary grievance mechanism for issues relating to central government departments.

Mohit Gupta, founder of SOLUTION BOX, a civic issue help group, has filed a grievance on the CPGRAMS, underscoring prolonged inconvenience, especially for senior citizens and persons with disabilities, as critical passenger amenities have remained out of order for several months.

The complaint, officially acknowledged on September 29, highlighted the "long continuing issue" and the absence of a reasonable on-ground grievance redressal facility, calling for an urgent solution.

"Even the Station Manager agreed on this issue. Large-scale work does not mean basic dereliction of public facilities continue on and on," commented a senior resident, SK Mongia of Sector 9.

Suresh Aggarwal, a senior citizen residing in Sector 4, noted, "Escalators/lifts are not available to those going to platform No. 5."

According to the latest status on the grievance portal, the complaint regarding non-working lifts and escalators on the Panchkula side of railway station has been forwarded to Executive Director (Public Grievances) Ratnesh Kumar Jha for further action and redressal.

Apart from problems within the station, a road leading to the railway station poses persistent trouble to commuters. It is riddled with potholes and prone to flooding. The additional hurdle makes access to the railway station arduous, particularly for senior citizens and differently-abled passengers trying to travel or welcome their loved ones.