Modernize Gurgaon station, run EMUs to Delhi, MP urges Prabhu

GURGAON: It’s the country’s first solar-powered railway station, but finds itself relegated to a corner in Gurgaon’s mass transit planning.
Not surprisingly, despite a pioneering feat to its credit, passenger amenities at Gurgaon railway station haven’t evolved despite an average daily footfall of around 1.5 lakh.
On the eve of the railway budget, Union minister and Gurgaon MP Rao Inderjit said he had written to railway minister Suresh Prabhu, raising demands for his constituency.The modernization of Gurgaon railway station and electrification of the Delhi-Jaipur sector are his top demands.
In his letter, Singh has also demanded speedy completion of the high-speed corridor from Delhi to Alwar, a foot-overbridge at Rajendra Park in Gurgaon and EMU trains between Rewari and Delhi.
The Gurgaon MP said many important trains going to Gujarat and Rajasthan — including the Delhi-Ahmedabad Rajdhani and Delhi-Ajmer Shatabdi — stop at Gurgaon and modernization of these railway stations are required so that the facilities are on a par with those provided at railway stations in metropolitan cities.
Experts say apart from connecting Delhi to Rajasthan and Gujarat, the real potential of the Gurgaon railway line lies in serving as a second route between Delhi and Mumbai, India’s busiest railway corridor. Most Delhi-Mumbai trains go via Kota, Vododara and Surat. Currently, only two trains use the Gurgaon route to go to Mumbai from Delhi via Ajmer and Ahmedabad, the Sarai Rohilla-Bandra Garib Rath and Chandigarh-Bandra Superfast Express.
Singh said that electrification of the Delhi-Jaipur line had started long back, but it needs to be expedited so that not only the railways but the people of the area can enjoy the benefits of the electrification of railways in this sector.
On the demand for a foot-overbridge at Rajendra Park, the MP said approximately 1.5 lakh people reside in the area and they find it difficult to cross the railway lines. On several occasions, residents have met Singh and demanded a foot-overbridge. Singh has also demanded halts for Pooja Express and Chetak Express at Pataudi Road station, Ala Hazrat Express and Kathgodam-Jaisalmer Express at Bawal station.