JOIN USThere was high drama at the Kengeri railway station on Sunday when Railways Minister D V Sadananda Gowda reached the station travelling by Bangalore-Mysore passenger train.
Regular commuters alleged that they were put to inconvenience since the train was diverted to platform 1 from its routine stop on platform 4.
Many passengers who were waiting at platform number four were upset and besieged the minister. They demanded Gowda to direct the officials to make the railway commuting easy.
The train, scheduled to depart from City railway station at 9.20 am, is always delayed by at least 30 minutes. However, it left on time on Sunday, courtesy the minister’s visit, the passengers said.
Suresh, a regular commuter said, “We have been demanding that the train be given a stoppage at platform number one, instead of four, as one has to climb up the overbridge to reach platform four. Today, the arrangement was made only to facilitate the minister. Moreover, there was no prior notice to public on the change of stop of this train,” he rued.
The officials tried to calm down the passengers who were pressing on their demand that this train be given a regular stoppage on platform-1.
The minister listened to them and said that he would look into the demand, but cannot promise anything immediately.
“Efforts are being made to increase the speed of the trains and adding more stoppages will only lead to slowing down of trains,” Gowda said, adding that the interest of long-distance passengers too needs to be considered.
Many passengers, while interacting with the minister, said that there were several problems with the trains and the stations.
They cited lack of cleanliness, lifts, elevators and drinking water facility.
According to sources, officials cleaned up platform-8 at the City railway station at the last minute in the wake of the minister’s visit.