Power woes escalate problems

Nellore: Railways failure to provide generator supply to elevators in Nellore railway station has been causing innumerable problems to the passengers whenever power fails, especially when they are in a hurry to catch the train that is ready to leave.

In addition to the three available elevators in platform No 1, 2 & 3 and 4, three escalators are being installed in the station as part of modernisation works in the station. However, there are some apprehensions over these facilities not only among passengers but also in the railway staff.

“There is no use of elevators as well as escalators unless they are supported by a generator in view of frequent power shutdowns even during winter season. There were several instances where passenger became panic because of suffocation when they got struck in the elevators during power failure ever since they are installed. Unfortunately the existing generator is not connected to the elevators although its capacity is more than enough to support it,” a railway official alleged.

Meanwhile, the work related to cover over the platform is in progress in the northern side of Platform 1 and higher officials of railway promised to consider the demand from passengers to establish an AC Waiting Hall in the railway station.

Several passengers wrote to the railways over the need for AC waiting hall in the station reminding that it is located in the district headquarters and handling more than 10,000 passengers per day.
The railway users association has been demanding the railway board to provide halt at Nellore for Garib Rath bound for Delhi from Chennai and Chhapra Express bound for Patna from Chennai.
They have been questioning the rationale behind halting the train at Gudur and Ongole ignoring Nellore.

Sources in the station said that no one filed tenders for the contract of Premium Parking Area (located in the western side of the Nellore station) because of steep increase in the tender value.

They said that the previous contractor had collected only Rs 5 although he can charge Rs 8 for every three hours for two wheelers because of protests by the vehicle owners. As of now railways fixed Rs 43,000 for every three months for the area but there are no takers as it would land them in loss.

The contract with the previous contractor came to an end in October this year. The absence of contractor led to free for all like situation and vehicles are being parked in front of the station in most disorderly manner even blocking entry into the station.