BHUBANESWAR: Commuters facing trouble to move from one platform to another at small railway stations will now get relief as Indian Railways has planned to construct Foot Over Bridges (FOBs) to facilitate smooth movement of passengers with a focus on safety. The new FOBs have been planned at Cuttack, Jajpur-Keonjhar Road, Motari, Surla Road, Jhadupudi, Baruva, Summadevi, Banbihari Gwalipur, Baridhengarh, Badakhadeita, Manguli Choudwar, Mattagazpur, Badabandha, Sukinda Road, Sagadapeta, Baghuapal, Chilikidara and Janakideipur besides 20 other passenger halts.
“Cuttack and Jajpur-Keonjhar Road stations will have six-metre wide FOBs. The need of the FOBs was necessitated keeping in view the daily footfall of passengers. These stations will also have high level and concrete platforms. The rest will have first FOBs,” said a railway official. Sources said works for the third wide FOB at Bhubaneswar and second at Bhadrak are on with a target to complete those within six months, a record time for any FOBs in Indian Railways. Started in December last year, the FOBs are expected to be ready before Rath Yatra in July.
The Railways had also focused on eliminating Unmanned Level Crossings (UMLCs). While Khurda Road Railway Division under East Coast Railway (ECoR) jurisdiction is totally free from UNLCs, all such level crossings will be closed in Waltair and Sambalpur Railway Divisions by July end.
“Stress is being laid to ensure passengers safety at all railway stations. Small railway stations, including passenger halts earlier received a lot of complaints. The FOB facility is also coming with raised platforms at stations now with low-level platforms. This year the focus will be on providing better passenger amenities and comfort to passengers,” the official added.