ROURKELA: As the Steel City gears up to co-host the Men's Hockey World Cup in January 2023, the South Eastern Railway (SER) seems to have closed its eyes to the development of circulating areas of Rourkela railway station.
With only five months on hands, the SER is yet to make any efforts to develop the station’s main entrance on the southern side and beautify the surrounding areas.The railway station’s main entrance will be the only gateway for train travellers during the showpiece hockey event, but it continues to wear a congested and unimpressive look.
While no steps have been taken to give the gateway a facelift and develop the nearby areas, the Rourkela Smart City Ltd (RSCL) is widening the narrow approach road to the station to implement SER’s plan of separate entry and exit to tide over vehicular traffic congestion at the entrance during peak hours.
Incidentally in 2010, then Food and Consumer Welfare Minister Sarada Prasad Nayak had prepared a blueprint for development of the station’s surrounding areas by spending Rs 30,000 from own resources.
Nayak, the current MLA of Rourkela and chairman of Sundargarh district planning committee, said in the blueprint, he had suggested provision for pre-paid taxi and auto-rickshaw services with proper parking facilities besides beautification and revamp of the station's facade. However, the SER never showed any interest, he claimed.
Currently, the SER is executing various projects inside the railway station including construction of platform no 6 and a foot over bridge, addition of passenger amenities, lift and escalator facilities. The SER is also developing the newly-constructed second entrance on the northern side.
During his visit to the railway station on July 10, Railway Board Chairman and chief executive officer VK Tripathi had said that several projects were underway in view of the mega hockey event. If the need arises, more projects could be sanctioned, he added.