COIMBATORE: The escalator for elderly and pregnant women passengers on platform numbers 1 and 2 at the Coimbatore railway station has been defunct, causing hardship to many.
Though railway officials claim that the passengers can use the lift facility, several passengers can't use it at a time, and some are unaware of the facility.
Passengers also complained that an escalator at the exit point of platform number 1 is often under repair.
Repair has been going on since last week, and it could take a few more days for it to be over. A regular passenger from Mettupalayam said, "After getting down from the Mettupalayam-Podanur MEMU passenger train in Coimbatore railway station, I usually come out of platform no 1 to use the exit escalator. Along with me, several patients heading to Coimbatore Medical College and Hospital (CMCH) also use the same. However, the escalator cannot be used."
According to J Sathish, core committee member of Coimbatore Nxt, an initiative by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), "Despite Coimbatore railway station remaining the third revenue-generating station in the Southern Railway, passengers are yet to get improvised basic facilities. The station is collecting Rs 350 crore annually only through ticket collection, and over 1.5 crore passengers, including reserved and unreserved, take trains to various destinations from Coimbatore.
"Also, railway officials should at least think of setting up an escalator leading to platforms 3-4 and 5-6 so that passengers can avoid climbing the steps leading to these platforms."