Cut the noise at railway stations
The remodelled entrance at New Delhi railway station (Ajmeri gate side) looks graceful with white pillars that hark back to an earlier era. It is cleaner and more user friendly than in the past.
However, the challenge for passengers begins the minute they step out of the taxi or auto rickshaw. You have to climb over rather high lane dividers which is quite a feat while managing heavy luggage. Unlike most of the railway stations where you are allowed to disembark at the porch or the footpath on the station side, here you have to cross a small road.
The travails are far from over. One has to go up a few small steps. Again, wonder why no one thought about ramps along which the luggage can be dragged (since most of the suitcases these days come equipped with wheels.
The main concourse remains noisy and chaotic. The noise is mainly on account of the person at the enquiry counter announcing whatever she is telling the person wanting to know about the train, platform and the like.
Crowds of people queue up at the counters and outshout each other. No one is sure where to get the platform ticket despite a huge yellow board announcing it and 2 counters functioning.
We find that we have to walk till platform number three from where the blessed Kerala express is starting.
What happened to the good old days when most of the long distance trains used to start from the platforms closer to Ajmeri gate side like ten at once upon a time. There are 16 platforms now.
Once again, you have to go up an overbridge. Why do they have a staircase when escalators are the norm elsewhere, like the Delhi metro. Also, the height of the bridge.
While it is understandable because of the High voltage power supply lines passing underneath, they could modify the design to allow the pantographs (the thin rods that stick up from the engine to draw power) to dip and lie almost flat like in metro trains in tunnel sections. Such a step could help in reduce the over bridge height.
On the overbridge, it was quite a walk to platform 3. Fortunately, not too narrow or crowded. We made our way speedily. Then again, trudged down the step to the platform where the train was waiting.
Two trolleys, heavily loaded with sack cloth covered packages were being pulled through amid a mayhem of passengers and assorted luggage.
In a modern system, especially when the brake vans (luggage vans) are at either ends of the train, what is the need for such trolleys to be dragged across the length of the platforms. Can't these be put on a conveyor belt and loaded?
It is high time railways went in for automation by way of escalators, pedelators, ramps and other conveniences. Then they could increase the platform charges and prevent people from making platforms their home.
In Delhi Metro, they have a simple rule that in paid areas, meaning the platform and its approach corridors, that after 120 minutes the validity of travel tokens and cards expire and over stayers have to pay a fine. There is also no free entry at all.
However, the challenge for passengers begins the minute they step out of the taxi or auto rickshaw. You have to climb over rather high lane dividers which is quite a feat while managing heavy luggage. Unlike most of the railway stations where you are allowed to disembark at the porch or the footpath on the station side, here you have to cross a small road.
The travails are far from over. One has to go up a few small steps. Again, wonder why no one thought about ramps along which the luggage can be dragged (since most of the suitcases these days come equipped with wheels.
The main concourse remains noisy and chaotic. The noise is mainly on account of the person at the enquiry counter announcing whatever she is telling the person wanting to know about the train, platform and the like.
Crowds of people queue up at the counters and outshout each other. No one is sure where to get the platform ticket despite a huge yellow board announcing it and 2 counters functioning.
We find that we have to walk till platform number three from where the blessed Kerala express is starting.
What happened to the good old days when most of the long distance trains used to start from the platforms closer to Ajmeri gate side like ten at once upon a time. There are 16 platforms now.
Once again, you have to go up an overbridge. Why do they have a staircase when escalators are the norm elsewhere, like the Delhi metro. Also, the height of the bridge.
While it is understandable because of the High voltage power supply lines passing underneath, they could modify the design to allow the pantographs (the thin rods that stick up from the engine to draw power) to dip and lie almost flat like in metro trains in tunnel sections. Such a step could help in reduce the over bridge height.
On the overbridge, it was quite a walk to platform 3. Fortunately, not too narrow or crowded. We made our way speedily. Then again, trudged down the step to the platform where the train was waiting.
Two trolleys, heavily loaded with sack cloth covered packages were being pulled through amid a mayhem of passengers and assorted luggage.
In a modern system, especially when the brake vans (luggage vans) are at either ends of the train, what is the need for such trolleys to be dragged across the length of the platforms. Can't these be put on a conveyor belt and loaded?
It is high time railways went in for automation by way of escalators, pedelators, ramps and other conveniences. Then they could increase the platform charges and prevent people from making platforms their home.
In Delhi Metro, they have a simple rule that in paid areas, meaning the platform and its approach corridors, that after 120 minutes the validity of travel tokens and cards expire and over stayers have to pay a fine. There is also no free entry at all.
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