To facilitate easy movement of passengers, especially the elderly, sick and differently-abled persons from one platform to another, sixth escalator on platform No 2/3 was inaugurated on Friday.
Another escalator on platform 4/5 will also be commissioned by this month end. To enhance passenger comfort at railway stations, the South Central Railway has embarked up on setting up of escalators and lifts in a big way at all major stations in the zone.
As part of this, escalators are being set up on all the platforms at Secunderabad railway station in a phased manner. In the last few months, five escalators have been commissioned for passenger use on platform No 1, 6/7, 8/9 and 10. With this, all the platforms at Secunderabad will have escalators, being provided at a cost of `6.75 crore.
Keeping in view the heavy footfalls of passengers on platform 1 and 10 which are the main entry/exit for Secunderabad station, two lifts are also being provided at these platforms at a cost of Rs 78 lakh. The works on the lifts are also nearing completion. Three escalators and two lifts will also be provided soon at the other major passenger terminal of Kacheguda.
About 22 lifts have been commissioned in the zone at 10 stations viz., Tirupati, Guntur, Chirala, Kakinada Town, Tenali, Nellore, Bhimavaram, Guntakal, Gudur and Samalkot at a cost of Rs 7.28 crore. In addition, works are also on for providing 40 more lifts at 18 stations at a cost of `12.98 crore.
While two escalators at Vijayawada, one at Tirupati and six escalators at Secunderabad have so far been put into use in the zone, action has already been initiated to expand this facility by providing 40 more escalators at 19 stations at a cost of Rs 33.42 crore.