ROURKELA: Amid increase in railway traffic on the busy Howrah-Mumbai mainline, South Eastern Railway (SER) authorities continue to struggle for space for parking of vehicles outside Rourkela railway station during peak hours.
With the stopgap arrangement, SER has managed to streamline parking and flow of traffic outside the railway station to some extent. However, steps are being taken to divert vehicular traffic to the newly-constructed second entrance on northern end and ensure one-way entry and exit of vehicles outside the station.
With the third line project on Howrah-Mumbai arm of the Golden Quadrilateral of Railways getting commissioned in phases, work has started on construction of platform No.6 of Rourkela station. Presently, the station witnesses around 40,000 footfalls daily with movement of more than 60 super-fast and passenger trains and around 90 goods train.
Chakradharpur-based Senior Divisional Commercial Manager Manish Pathak said with effective utilisation of circulating areas, issues of parking and traffic chaos even during rush hour have been significantly curbed.
He said talks are underway with the Sundargarh district administration to ensure entry and exit of vehicles from separate directions for smooth vehicular traffic flow outside the station even during peak hours.
The second entrance would be equipped with another Foot Over Bridge with a ramp. Once it becomes functional, more than half of the vehicular traffic would be diverted.
SER sources said at present, incoming and outgoing vehicles reach the station through a single entry point.
The Sundargarh district administration has been requested to ensure removal of encroachments on Gandhi Road and notify it for one-way traffic so that it can be effectively utilised as an approach road to the station.