TIRUCHY: Passengers, particularly senior citizens, alighting from trains at the Srirangam railway station at night complain of difficulties finding their way through the darkness due to the “inadequate” lighting on Platforms 3 and 4.
Mentioning those alighting from the rear coaches suffering the most, they urge the railway authorities to instal adequate lighting at all required spots or to have at least some trains halted on Platform 1, which they said is better lit and more accessible.
Besides regular commuters, pilgrims heading to the Ranganathaswamy temple and to the Jambukeswarar-Akilandeswari temple located about two kilometres away in Thiruvanaikoil alight at the Srirangam station. Until a few years ago, all long-distance trains, including the Rockfort, Mangaluru, Pallavan and Guruvayur express trains, halted at Platform 1, making it convenient for pilgrims to alight.
All Chennai-bound trains, however, now leave from Platform 1 while Tiruchy-bound trains are received only on Platform 4 and occasionally on Platform 3. Due to the poor lighting on Platforms 3 and 4, passengers, however, are now left inconvenienced, said KP Ranga Prasad, an IT professional from Tiruchy. "There are lighting poles on Platforms 3 and 4 but they do not emit sufficient light for passengers to walk safely along the platforms. The railway authorities should instal lights at either ends of the platform and replace the low-illumination LED lights with high-voltage ones. Though the same number of lights is installed on Platforms 1 and 2, the lights at the booking office, station master's office and at the commercial outlets result in sufficient brightness in the area,” Prasad added.
C Shanmugavel, a regular commuter from Tiruchy, said the problem is felt acutely by senior citizens landing at night, particularly those in the Rockfort Express, which reaches around 3.30 am. "As most trains have 22 to 24 coaches, the rear ends stop at the extreme ends of the platforms where there is no proper lighting. Regardless of age, passengers find it difficult to walk along the platform, use the subways or foot overbridges. As only bushes and other vegetation are present at the end of Platform 4, the area remains dark despite the presence of lights," he added.
Passengers feel that the railway administration should consider halting some express trains such as Rockfort, Pallavan and Guruvayur on Platform 1, as it is better lit and more accessible compared to Platforms 3 and 4, Shanmugavel further said. When enquired, Tiruchy railway officials stressed that all platforms at Srirangam station have adequate lighting.
However, to conserve power, the lights are switched off when there is no train movement and are turned back on during their arrival and departure, they said. When the matter was raised during the 'Amrit Samvaad' event held at Srirangam station on Thursday, Tiruchy Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) Balak Ram Negi assured to address it immediately.
