The only railway station in Pathanamthitta district at Thiruvalla is reeling under acute water shortage, posing much hardship to the passengers as well as the staff on duty.
The lavatories, urinals, and wash rooms at the railway station have been remaining closed since the past two days for want of water.
The deep well at the railway station yard has almost turned dry in the scorching summer heat, leaving the railway authorities totally dependent on the Kerala Water Authority for the daily water requirement.
The KWA has been supplying water to the railway station once in three days, which is grossly insufficient to meet the daily water requirement there, according to official sources.
The railway station authorities were forced to close the lavatories, urinals and wash rooms at both the general waiting room and the ladies’ waiting room for the past two days due to water shortage, leaving the passengers at the receiving end.
Railway sources told The Hindu that the daily water requirement at the Thiruvalla station was not less than 25,000 litres. The acute water shortage over the past one week has badly affected the cleaning of toilets, urinals, and station premises.
The water shortage has also affected the functioning of the refreshment stalls as well as the tea and snack kiosks. The Railway Mail Service complex attached to the railway station too has been reeling under water shortage.
There were also allegations of an ‘underhand deal’ between a section of the KWA field staff and the apartment lobby for diverting the water supply to the high rise apartments in the locality.
The Thiruvalla Vigilance Council president, P.D. George, has called upon the Railways and the KWA authorities to take necessary steps to address the water scarcity at the station immediately.
