NEW DELHI: Colourful wall murals, baggage scanners and a wide approach have been greeting passengers at the Hazrat Nizamuddin Railway station for the past few weeks. Relocation of benches, parcel handling areas, the Comesum restaurant and rickshaw stand within the complex has made approaching Platform 1 easier.
Benches, earlier placed across the length of the platform, have been rearranged near its entry, clearing up space for passengers to enter and exit trains with ease. Parcels were earlier brought into the station and placed in large stacks near the Nizamuddin-side entrance. This blocked smooth movement of vehicles, while parcel trolleys and loaders also obstructed pedestrian movement. The parcel handling area has now been shifted to another area of the station. The entire facade has undergone a facelift, with a wider, smoother pavement, free of hawkers. Taxis, auto-rickshaws and cycle-rickshaws now have designated lanes for entry and exit, and are not permitted to be parked along the front lane of the station.
The kota-stone has been replaced by granite flooring on Platform 1. A level crossing near the station has been closed, and a road built under it, to connect the Sarai Kale Khan side to the Nizamuddin side. Thus, a person wanting to go from one side of the station to the other, doesn’t have to first exit via Ashram and the Ring Road. An existing footover bridge has been extended for incoming passengers to exit directly, instead of descending onto Platform 1 as earlier.
“The road-under-bridge, streamlining of vehicular movement, and relocation of the parcel handling area are among important changes made for decongestion of the station,” said Ashwani Lohani, Divisional Railway Manager (Delhi). A 14-seater dormitory is also coming up in the station to facilitate passengers who wish to rest while waiting for connecting trains. In addition, the two retiring rooms are being renovated. Platform 8, which earlier had a parcel office is being refurbished. Once ready, it will be used for trains.