Off the Track

The problems begin right at the entry to the station. Purchasing a platform ticket seems more a matter of choice than the rule. 8220;A perennial problem of loose change at the counter discourages many a people from paying even this measly sum of Rs 3 before entering the station premises,8221; says Sarika Verma, who is among the many regular visitors to the station. More importantly, she adds, 8220;Besides, there is no one to check.8221;

Further, with seemingly endless waiting period for the trains, which are late more often than not, there is hardly any place on the platforms for the passengers to wait. 8220;No benches or seats have been provided here,8221; complains Shyamala Devi, a commuter from Howrah, 8220;The waiting rooms are terribly crowded, so you have no option but to squat on the floor.8221; Which is why, you can see people lying about anywhere and everywhere. 8220;We cannot have seats for everybody to sit on the platform,8221; contends B. K. Shukla, the Senior Station Manager, even as he says that there are plans to provide for seating around the pillars.

Then, water is always in short supply and scarcely purified or cold. 8220;We get our supply from MCD which can provide only for limited use,8221; reasons Mukherjee, 8220;We fall short of water every summer, primarily because too many outside people come and utilise the facility at the railway station.8221;

Another area of concern is the appalling dearth of public toilets 8212; there is just one for the 12 platforms and it is naturally in no state to be used. Says B. K. Shukla, 8220;We had constructed several public conveniences, but they had to be demolished because it became extremely difficult to maintain the hygiene or manage sewage disposal on such a large scale.8221; However, he says there are plans to build some more public toilets at the station now. For those who have a reserved ticket, though, the waiting rooms have clean bathrooms. And perhaps predictably, the caretaker outside one of the waiting rooms does not mind people without a ticket using this facility, of course in lieu of some money.

Next, consider the Railahars or the foodstalls at the platforms. A packet of chips cost Rs 15 here, instead of the printed Rs 10. Similar is the case with soft drinks, which cost anything between Rs 10-12, much above the regular price of Rs 8. 8220;We do not offer anything on subsidised rates here,8221; says Chandralekha Mukherjee. 8220;Moreover, the prices are centrally determined by the Railway Board.8221;

Overcharging by porters too is an oft-deliberated problem. There are nearly 1,500 licensed porters, and there are nearly an equal number of unauthorised ones. Needless to add then that the prescribed rates that have been displayed on a board right outside the cloak room, which clearly says that for every 40 kgs. of luggage the porter ought to charge Rs 9 only, are never taken into account. 8220;It is for the people to enforce this,8221; says an official at the assistance booth, shrugging off his responsibility, 8220;although a couple of months ago, we dismissed as many as 72 porters for overcharging. So, whenever there are complaints we look into them seriously.8221;

The procedure of stocking goods in godowns too remains cumbersome. Complains C. K. Singh, a Delhi businessman, 8220;My consignment of papers was left lying on the platform for days together with people using it as a place to sit. Besides, taking its delivery later on proved a tedious affair.8221; Though officials claim otherwise, you can see undelivered goods lying at the station occupying large spaces and serving as seating places.

Locating the right platform is no less a challenge. The New Delhi Railway Station has two terminals the Paharganj terminal and the Ajmeri Gate terminal. Often, people entering from either side have to run the length and breadth of the station to locate the correct platform to board the train. 8220;The platform number should be clearly mentioned on the ticket,8221; feels S. S. Guha, a passenger to Jaipur. However, reasons an official at the reservation counter, 8220;With as many as 205 trains coming in daily on this station, it is not possible to know the platform number in advance since that is decided according to the berthing plan. However, we are planning to introduce an electronic coach guidance facility to avoid the inconvenience caused.8221;

Cleanliness, or rather the lack of it, remains the most worrisome issue, even with a dedicated staff of 300 people. The officials believe that unless a legislation regulating the entry of people in the station premises is framed the sorry state of affairs would continue. With huge jhuggi clusters surrounding the area, it is a pertinent point as there is no other way of regulating the entry of the jhuggi-dwellers to the station, who making illegal and improper use of public facilities. Further, many of them are believed to indulge in anti-social activities as touts, illegal vendors, unauthorised porters or as urchins vying to collect waste mineral water bottles as soon as a train arrives. With just about 25-30 policemen manning the 12 platforms, it is next to impossible to ensure even a modicum of order.

Chief PRO Chandralekha Mukherjee admits that unless the station ceases to be a home to the homeless in the city and a goods market to the passengers, an improvement cannot be expected. It is doubtless a tall order, but its rewards cannot be overestimated. For, besides convenience, it8217;s a matter of national pride.