TIRUCHY: Even as Indian Railways is spending crores of rupees on improving the look and feel of Tiruchy railway station, it has focused little on helping passengers.
The help desks or assistance booths on platforms are vacant most of the time. Passengers find it difficult to avail wheel chairs or medicines among other emergency needs as there is none to assist them. Currently, only the booth at Platform 1 is functional while the others remain non-functional. Platform 6 and 7 do not have assistance booths. Also, the help line number displayed on booths remains switched off most of the times. These shortcomings have raised concern among passengers about the negligence of the authorities.
“Why has the railways put up such counters if they cannot assign any persons to attend to people? There is no point in creating an ambience like airport when it cannot provide basic assistance to needy passengers,” said Krishna Kumar, a railway passenger.
The station also does not seem user-friendly for senior citizens and physically challenged persons. “I’m able to use battery-operated car only on Platform 1 and not in other platforms. The railways has to ensure that physically-challenged people get proper assistance,” said M Kamaraj, a differently-abled activist.
A few passengers suggested that RPF personnel be deployed in the booths at night to handle queries. “The railway has to ensure round-the-clock functioning of assistance booths in all platforms. They should also consider posting RPF officials at night. Atleast, the emergency numbers should be made available, said M Parthasarathy, retired teacher.
Railway sources assured to take immediate action to sort out the issues.