For a secular spectacle, alight here

Mumbai Sheriff Kulwant Singh Kohli says GTB Nagar station was chosen as it was closest to the organisations funding the renovation. Another reason, according to Kohli, who has been involved with the proposal for some time now, was the name of the station. 8220;Sikhs felt bad that the station which was named after their Guru was in such bad shape,8221; he says. The gurudwaras then formulated the plan and asked other organisations to pitch in. While theplanning began in December last year, the proposal was submitted only this May, Kohli added.

At Rs 3.5 crore, this secularist8217;s dream doesn8217;t come cheap. But the eclectic group is unfazed. 8220;The money will come from the people,8221; asserts Manmohan Singh Sehgal, a trustee of the Joga Singhji gurudwara. 8220;Those who cannot provide finance will help out by working on the project. We will try not to employ workers but get people to help carry out the work,8221; he adds. 8220;The railway is public property and the authorities cannot be expected to do everything. Somewhere, we citizens must take the responsibility,8221; he explains.

Plans include building of arches at the entrances to the station and a joggers8217; park and a row of trees outside. A ticket counter on the ground floor will be demolished and converted into a landscaped area with a water fountain, plants and seats. Rose gardens for the land surrounding the station and a rock garden inside have also been planned. And a fence will separate the slums from thestation area. The plan doesn8217;t end there. Once the station is renovated and beautified 8212; which is expected to take around two years 8212; the group will concentrate on solid waste management, prevention of encroachments and storm water drainage. It also plans to employ guards to assist the GRP in policing the station. 8220;This will reduce instances of chain-snatching, urchins getting into ladies compartments and the like,8221; says Sehgal.

Railway sources maintain that the authorities are 8220;favourably inclined8221; towards the proposal and that it is only a matter of time before the Railways sign a Memorandum of Understanding with the group.

Additional division manager Central Railway P S Gupta points out that there are some issues 8220;which will have to be sorted out8221; before the Railways give the green signal. According to the proposal, a part of the railway station will be painted with portraits of Guru Tegh Bahadur. This, says Gupta, could cause a minor problem. 8220;The Railways do not allow portraits ofreligious in its precincts. Also, the beautification should not impede the movement of the trains,8221; he adds.