Berhampur: Even as the Berhampur Railway Station is considered the lifeline of Ganjam district, the station suffers from myriad problems due to negligence of the railways.
Though the railway department has taken up too many developmental projects for the upgradation of the railway station such as installation of CCTV cameras, setting up of escalators for senior citizens and the differently0abled, these projects have not been completed yet.
Tourists from the district and outside use this railway station as the main communication link. However, thanks to the departmental apathy, passengers suffer from various problems.
There are four platforms in the railway station. While there is an escalator to reach one platform, the remaining three are beyond the reach of senior citizens and the differently-abled. Senior citizens and differently-abled suffer a lot while crossing the stares with luggage.
A survey by the railways said that the railway station was one of the leading revenue generators in the state. The department earns approximately Rs 15 lakh from general passenger tickets and platform tickets every day. However, despite such revenue generation, there is not even an iota of development.
Damaged urinals and latrines, jam-packed booking counters, unavailability of drinking water, dilapidated parking areas, defunct Aahaar center, insufficient dormitory in the railway station, the escalator which is connecting platform-1 with platform 2 is not working properly.
The railway station was established in 1896, came under the East-Coast Railway of Khurdha division. On an average, about 12, 000 passengers arrive at the railway station daily.
As there is no CCTV camera. pick-pocketing is an every-day affair in the railway station. Durga Prasad Brahma, a railway officer, said “We will take steps regarding the development of the railway station after consulting higher authorities.
PNN