An escalator facility for passengers will be ready in the Madurai Railway Junction in a month, according to Southern Railway General Manager Rakesh Misra. A total of six escalators will be put into operation at a cost of Rs.5 crore.
Mr. Misra, on his maiden visit to Madurai on Tuesday after taking charge in January this year, told reporters that work on the escalators was nearing completion.
Over 40,000 people visit the railway junction here every day and over 70 trains arrive and depart to destinations.
Mr. Misra inspected passenger waiting rooms as well as the non-vegetarian refreshment room on platform one, among other sites.
"The railway junction is well-maintained. I want to announce a cash award of Rs.10,000 and also congratulate the officials and staff who are involved in the upkeep," the General Manager said.
Mr. Misra said that the track work on Manamadurai-Virudhunagar, Palani-Pollachi and Sencottah-Punalur routes would be given priority. Responding to a question, he said that the Southern Railway is short of loco pilots and trackmen and steps were being taken to expedite the recruitment process.
"Another focus area is the Southern Railway Medical College, which is proposed to come up at Perambur in Chennai," he said, and added that the modalities have to be worked out by the Railway Board.
"One model we are contemplating is on the lines of Armed Forces Medical College at Pune. The final call will have to be taken by the Board, but what I can say is Chennai will be the first city to get the Railway Medical College out of the five colleges proposed at different locations in the country," he said.
A.K. Rastogi, Divisional Railway Manager, and V. Ajith Kumar, Additional Divisional Railway Manager, were present.