COIMBATORE : The railways has attracted sharp criticism from several quarters for its decision to break the 6-month-old concrete floor in the Coimbatore North Railway station as part of modernisation works under the Amrit Bharat Station scheme.
Stating that tax payers' money had been wasted, Coimbatore MP PR Natarajan demanded an inquiry against the engineering wing officials who approved the demolition job. "It is really shocking that the central government has sanctioned money to demolish the newly built concrete floor and build a new one at Coimbatore North Railway station.
Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman stated in Lok Sabha that railways earned lakhs of rupees as profit after the fare concession given to senior citizens and differently-abled persons was withdrawn. The government is wasting the money saved by depriving concession to the deserving people on such acts," Natarajan said.
K Jayaraj, a member of the Zonal Railway Users Consultative Committee (ZRUCC), "We come to know that a portion of concrete floor on the eastern side of the station is being removed for landscaping purposes. Considering the increasing traffic, the space should be used for maximum passenger amenities rather than gardening. We appreciate new facilities like the extension of foot over bridge, provision of lifts and elevators on the western side of the station. These are not enough, railways should build additional platforms and increase the number of trains."
Sources in the Salem railway division of southern railway said the work was not restricted to Coimbatore north station but done in many stations including Podanur under the Amrit Bharat Station scheme.