Vehicle rush chokes entrance to Chandigarh railway station, passengers sore
Chandigarh, february 2
In view of the ongoing redevelopment work at Chandigarh railway station due to which certain areas remain out of bounds, passengers have to face tough time at the entrance to the station from the Chandigarh side.
Cabs, auto-rickshaws and public transport vehicles halt there to drop passengers. This often leads to snarl-ups, much to the inconvenience of passengers.
One can witness a complete chaos at the entrance particularly when Vande Bharat and Shatabdi trains are scheduled for arrival. To avoid getting stuck in traffic, cab and auto drivers tend to drop passengers on the road itself. At times, for the fear of missing the train, passengers themselves decide to get off on the road and walk about 200 m to the station, dragging their luggage all along.
The barricades and payment counters on both sides — the entrance and exit — also witness a lot of chaotic scenes. Halting vehicles for dropping passengers is free for the first 10 minutes after which drivers are charged Rs 30-50. To avoid getting charged, drivers do not enter the parking space or even the drop-off lane.
“The parking charges are high. Those stuck in traffic are forced to pay for no fault on their part,” said a resident who came to drop his son.
Another passenger said, “We are forced to walk to the main road to get a cab or auto-rickshaw as drivers avoid entering the lane.”
At times when the trains are running late, people wait on the road itself to avoid getting charged, which again leads to snarl-ups.
