Passengers at the Railway Junction in Tiruchi have been put to much hardship in recent months due to barricades put up in front of the main entrance restricting movement of vehicles.
Hundreds of passengers, who visit the station every day, complain that they are needlessly forced to walk some distance carrying their baggage. Earlier, all vehicles were allowed to drop or pick up passengers in front of the portico. But now only VIP vehicles are allowed up to the portico and the short stretch of road up to the main portico is out of bounds for other vehicles.
Although some of the changes such as the shifting of the autorickshaw stand, which had been functioning close to the car parking area, has been welcomed, the barricades put up even before the computerised reservation centre has irked passengers. Senior citizens and persons with disabilities complain that they are worst hit.
“Senior citizens are the worst sufferers. We have to carry our luggage all the way from the small temple before the passenger reservation centre up to the platforms. While returning, I have to carry my baggage up to the bus halts, which are now located still further away. I am a frequent traveller and I have been facing much difficulty. I have to seek assistance from strangers,” said Sakunthala Srinivasan, president, Tiruchi Payaneetalar Iyakkam.
Ms. Srinivasan also points out that many passengers sleep on the pavement between the passenger reservation centre and the entrance of the junction. “It is very difficult to manoeuvre amidst them carrying the baggage. It is not as if there is space constraint. There is ample space in front of the junction and the interests of ordinary passengers must be given priority,” she demanded.
She also pointed out that the second entry road is hardly made use of and the money spent on it has gone waste. At least this could be put to use to ease the congestion, she said.
Many passengers question the rationale behind allowing only VIP vehicles up to the main portico. “The Union government is trying to root out the VIP culture and even asked sirens on their vehicles be removed. I am at a loss to understand how the authorities here are promoting the VIP culture,” wondered S.Pushpavanam, Secretary, Consumer Protection Council, Tamil Nadu. “Passengers should have easy access to any Railway station and this has been prevented here,” he said.
The barricades have apparently been put up by the Railway police to regulate movement of cars, autorickshaws and two wheelers. But the barricades are causing more traffic chaos, especially at peak hours when trains arrive and depart, as a large number of vehicles converge in front of the barricades. With town buses passing close behind there is total chaos, travellers complain. They pointed out even in Chennai Egmore, vehicles are allowed to alight or board close to the main portico of the railway station.
“We do not have any objection to attempts to regulate movement of vehicles. But there is no proper system now. We have made representation even to the Railway Minister on the issue,” said M.Sekaran, president, Federation of Consumer and Service Organisations.
Sources in the Railway said the Railway Police have made certain changes only to streamline movement of vehicles and passenger convenience would be taken into consideration.
