Rail Budget: Crumbling station gets windfall

NEW DELHI: The Sarai Rohilla railway station in the city is in a shambles and cannot handle heavy rail traffic with just three platforms.
So, when railway minister Dinesh Trivedi chose Sarai Rohilla to flag off four new trains and also raise the frequency of few others, eyebrows were raised even in the railway ministry. The station which was established in 1936 as a halt point, has undergone little modernization over the years.
“The waiting hall is crumbling and we don’t even have a decent washroom. Moreover, the stabling yard is inadequate to handle so many trains. It is surprising that the railway board told the minister to introduce trains to Udhampur in Jammu and Kashmir, and Bandra in Mumbai. Most trains originating from here are scheduled for short distances, mostly till Rajasthan. We do not know how passengers of a full AC train (to Udhampur) will react to the facilities here,’’ said an officer.
A Northern Railway official said, the initial plan was to handle all new east-bound trains from the Anand Vihar terminal, while those to the west and the north were to be regulated at the Bijwasan and the Holambi Kalan stations — both of which were to be developed into world-class terminals. “Over the past three years, the budgetary allocations for Anand Vihar phase-II constructions remained stagnant (efforts are on to open the fourth platform) along with the Bijwasan and Holam Kalan projects. But now suddenly, the Sarai Rohilla station has been propped up,’’ said an official.
“I have been using this station for years now. Forget long distance passengers, even daily commuters have been demanding basic facilities at the station. We want amenities like a food joint and clean toilets. But each time we have been told that it’s the big three — New Delhi, Old Delhi and Hazrat Nizamuddin — that are taking away all the budgetary allocations,’’ said Yogendra Sharma, member of the local railway passengers association.
There have been instances when there have been serious question marks on the security at the station at night, said sources.
“The station does not have a taxi stand, and the entry and the exit points are an eyesore. If we are to make this station a success, there should be a serious discussion with the police on managing both the security and the traffic here,’’ said another officer.
The fate of the Anand Vihar terminal is yet to be known. In the phase II, the number of platforms will be increased to seven in total and the terminal will have a capacity to handle over three hundred thousand passengers and as many as 270 trains daily.
Phase II of the Anand Vihar makeover involves linking the terminal with the original Anand Vihar station (Station code: ANVT), which is a roadside station comprising two platforms serviced by only sub-urban trains. For phase-II of Anand Vihar, Northern Railways has invited a consultant for upgrading the station with world class facilities, but the efforts are yet to bear fruit.
Full Coverage on Budget 2012:Budget 2012» Rail Budget 2012» Pre Budget 2012» Budget News 2012»