Passengers face difficulties in climbing up and down the staircases of the foot overbridge in Ramanathapuram railway station. | Photo Credit: L. BALACHANDAR
Delay in commissioning of two lifts installed at Ramanathapuram railway station in June is forcing the aged and the sick passengers to make extra efforts to climb up and down long fleets of steps to reach platform 2/3 from platform 1 and vice versa.
A retired school teacher, S. Gandhimathi (62) of Madurai, who came to board the Madurai-bound passenger train on Tuesday evening, complained that several passengers faced difficulties in climbing up and down the staircases of the foot overbridge.
“If the lifts were put to use, the passengers would be spared of their ordeals,” she said.
While the express trains are being operated on platform one giving easy access to passengers, Madurai passenger trains are regularly operated on platform three.
The weekly express trains are operated from platform two. “When goods trains are received on platform three, the passenger trains are taken through platform two, a railway official said.
Southern Railway has been providing lifts to FOBs in major railway stations in order to provide easy access to the children, aged and the differently abled persons.
“Passengers now have to climb up some 30 steps and another 30 steps to climb down the FOB to reach platform 2/3 from platform one and vice versa,” the official said.
A senior railway official said Madurai Division has already commissioned four lifts out of the 26 lifts in the first phase of work taken up in various stations across the division.
While the three lifts in Karaikkudi and one in Sivaganga railway station have been commissioned, another four lifts – three in Tenkasi and one in Palani would be commissioned shortly.
Installation works of 15 lifts have been completed and the officials are awaiting clearance from Tamil Nadu Electrical Inspectorate for commissioning them.
“The applications were made in June, July and August. We expect to receive the licence shortly after which the lifts would be put to use for the passengers,” the official added.
