02-27-2007, 12:39 AM
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--><b>What about old promises? </b>
Pioneer.com
Deepak Kumar Jha | New Delhi
<b>Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav's annual budget spending moves like the trains in the country - either late or cancelled</b>. Even as fund allocation for the New Delhi station has been sanctioned once again in this budget, a reality check at the station on Monday looked like plans for modernisation having gone haywire. When the budget was being presented in the Lok Sabha, passengers were struggling, jostling and even getting into arguments with booking clerks either to buy a ticket or inquire about train status or berthing of a train on the platform.Â
<b>Going by the Railway Minister's promises in 2005-06 and again in 2006-07 budgets, the Ajmeri Gate side of the New Delhi railway station was to have a state-of-the-art building with premium passenger facilities. This included air-conditioned dormitories, separate waiting rooms for men and women, retiring rooms, inquiry offices and ticketing facility centres, as well as food plazas. But if sources within the railways are to be believed, for most of the works, tenders are yet to be floated. "There are several things that are to be done. Tender and seeking financial sanctions for any project are very tedious in railways. Either the accounts have problems or later it gets stuck into the vigilance,"</b> said a senior railway official on the condition of anonymity.
At present, only the expansion works of platforms are going on which is to add four additional platforms to the existing strength of 12 platforms at New Delhi station. The additional fund sanction for modernisation plan for New
Delhi, Anand Vihar and Bijwasan stations this budget is old wine in new bottle. It is not for the first time that the plan has received special emphasis in the budget. In fact, modernisation work at the Ajmeri Gate part of the New Delhi railway station is in its third phase, the foundation stone of which was laid by Lalu Prasad's predecessor, Nitish Kumar.
<b>Also on the list is a cyber cafe for the net-savvy passengers keen to catch up on their mail which is yet to see the light of the day.</b> "I remember that these features were proposed to ensure that passengers 'wait at leisure' at the railway station. But from delay in action plan, one can hardly visualise the 'world-class station' even as the city looks towards Commonwealth Games," said Naresh Kumar, a private company executive who had come to the station to see off his family members. Kumar stood for almost 25 minutes in a queue to purchase a platform ticket. "It is 2.30 pm and the electronic display board is yet to show the departure and platform status of Vikramshila Express. And it is difficult to inquire from the inquiry counter," he added, pointing towards the long queue at the Ajmeri Gate side inquiry counter with people jostling to seek the information.
Northern Railway chief spokesperson Rajiv Saxena counters that most of the works under the modernisation plan are going on. "UTS counters have been added, new platforms are being constructed and with additional funds sanctioned in this budget, the work will definitely be expedited," Saxena added.
According to the plan, the new station building would be a three-storeyed structure, including the ground floor. On the ground floor, adjacent to platform number 12, there would be ticket counters and arrival and departure lounges for the passengers to decongest the space. Separate corners for escalators to other floors in the proposed building were planned three years ago, but the condition of staircase was such that it cost the job of DRM Pradeep Kumar, who was transferred immediately due to the unkempt station during a surprise visit by Lalu Yadav last year. With the deadline 2008, the first floor of the building was supposed to boast of departure halls for passengers with reserved tickets.Â
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
In place of reducing passenger fares, he should do deeper cut in frieght fare, improve passenger facilities, medical facilities, replacing old bridges and installed CCTV camera everywhere.
Pioneer.com
Deepak Kumar Jha | New Delhi
<b>Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav's annual budget spending moves like the trains in the country - either late or cancelled</b>. Even as fund allocation for the New Delhi station has been sanctioned once again in this budget, a reality check at the station on Monday looked like plans for modernisation having gone haywire. When the budget was being presented in the Lok Sabha, passengers were struggling, jostling and even getting into arguments with booking clerks either to buy a ticket or inquire about train status or berthing of a train on the platform.Â
<b>Going by the Railway Minister's promises in 2005-06 and again in 2006-07 budgets, the Ajmeri Gate side of the New Delhi railway station was to have a state-of-the-art building with premium passenger facilities. This included air-conditioned dormitories, separate waiting rooms for men and women, retiring rooms, inquiry offices and ticketing facility centres, as well as food plazas. But if sources within the railways are to be believed, for most of the works, tenders are yet to be floated. "There are several things that are to be done. Tender and seeking financial sanctions for any project are very tedious in railways. Either the accounts have problems or later it gets stuck into the vigilance,"</b> said a senior railway official on the condition of anonymity.
At present, only the expansion works of platforms are going on which is to add four additional platforms to the existing strength of 12 platforms at New Delhi station. The additional fund sanction for modernisation plan for New
Delhi, Anand Vihar and Bijwasan stations this budget is old wine in new bottle. It is not for the first time that the plan has received special emphasis in the budget. In fact, modernisation work at the Ajmeri Gate part of the New Delhi railway station is in its third phase, the foundation stone of which was laid by Lalu Prasad's predecessor, Nitish Kumar.
<b>Also on the list is a cyber cafe for the net-savvy passengers keen to catch up on their mail which is yet to see the light of the day.</b> "I remember that these features were proposed to ensure that passengers 'wait at leisure' at the railway station. But from delay in action plan, one can hardly visualise the 'world-class station' even as the city looks towards Commonwealth Games," said Naresh Kumar, a private company executive who had come to the station to see off his family members. Kumar stood for almost 25 minutes in a queue to purchase a platform ticket. "It is 2.30 pm and the electronic display board is yet to show the departure and platform status of Vikramshila Express. And it is difficult to inquire from the inquiry counter," he added, pointing towards the long queue at the Ajmeri Gate side inquiry counter with people jostling to seek the information.
Northern Railway chief spokesperson Rajiv Saxena counters that most of the works under the modernisation plan are going on. "UTS counters have been added, new platforms are being constructed and with additional funds sanctioned in this budget, the work will definitely be expedited," Saxena added.
According to the plan, the new station building would be a three-storeyed structure, including the ground floor. On the ground floor, adjacent to platform number 12, there would be ticket counters and arrival and departure lounges for the passengers to decongest the space. Separate corners for escalators to other floors in the proposed building were planned three years ago, but the condition of staircase was such that it cost the job of DRM Pradeep Kumar, who was transferred immediately due to the unkempt station during a surprise visit by Lalu Yadav last year. With the deadline 2008, the first floor of the building was supposed to boast of departure halls for passengers with reserved tickets.Â
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
In place of reducing passenger fares, he should do deeper cut in frieght fare, improve passenger facilities, medical facilities, replacing old bridges and installed CCTV camera everywhere.