Rail budget proposals for station remain on paper

These included facilities like a shopping mall,food court as well as connectivity to the airport. It was also proposed that escalators,foot overbridges and mechanised parcel handling facilities should also be provided. The proposals remain on paper. The Morinda-Ludhiana rail link has not been completed in around a decade.

A budget hotel was also proposed that was to be constructed by the Railways. There is no movement in this project. Former Zonal Rail Users’ Consultative Committee member Joginder Singh Bhogal said that there are a number of proposals for the city that have not seen the light of day.

“Doubling of the Ambala-Chandigarh rail link was to be done. This has not been accomplished. The Morinda-Ludhiana link is incomplete for a decade. There are no elevators for the handicapped. If old or physically challenged people need to go from platform 1 to 2 to catch a train,it is very difficult,” he pointed out.

Bhogal added that the proposed train to Mumbai has not been started even though it was announced in the last budget. He added that instead of Duronto,there was a need for a Jan Shatabdi from Chandigarh to Amritsar that had stoppages at Ludhiana and Jalandhar.

A member of the committee said that during meetings held earlier,suggestions had been made for construction of rooms at the station where people could stay overnight. An afternoon Shatabdi to Delhi too was proposed. These proposals are yet to be implemented.

This year too there are similar demands from the residents. These include an afternoon Shatabdi to Delhi and a train to Bangalore. More stoppages for the Chandigarh-Amritsar Duronto top the list.

A Railway official said the demands of commuters are sent to the concerned authorities time and again. These are likely to be considered before the preparation of the budget.