KOCHI: A well-intentioned move by railway authorities ended up causing hardship to passengers who alighted from trains on platform 2 of Ernakulam Town railway station on Thursday night and Friday morning.
Iron bars installed close to the platform’s entrance to prevent unauthorised entry of vehicles caused immense inconvenience to the passengers as they struggled with their luggage. “Those who arrived on the long-distance trains found their way blocked. Passengers struggled to cross the bars with their heavy luggage,” said Satish R, an autorickshaw driver at the station.
The “corrective” action was prompted by an incident that took place in the early hours of September 4, when a 36-year-old man rode a luxury motorbike on platform 2. “The Railway Protection Force (RPF) gave him chase, but the man abandoned the bike on the platform and escaped with the key,” said another driver.
Balachandran K V, who lives nearby, said the authorities’ overzealous measure ended up troubling innocent passengers. On Thursday night, an elderly wheelchair-bound woman had to be hoisted over the bars by more than four people to reach platform,” he said.
Paul Manvattom, president of All Kerala Railway Users Association, told TNIE, “Though the railway authorities removed two of the six bars that were installed, these would still pose a problem if there is huge rush to move out. The authorities need to find some other solution.”
He also highlighted the congestion on SRM Road to which the approach road to the rear entrance of Town railway station connects.
“When long-distance trains arrive, the number of passengers and the vehicles arriving to pick them up frequently lead to congestion on SRM Road.
The illegal autorickshaw stand on the approach road makes matters worse. It is high time the railways or the district administration does something. Both the approach road and SRM Road need to be widened,” he said.