Neglected old terminal has no shelter, no ticket vending machines

Neglected old terminal has no shelter, no ticket vending machines
New Indian Express

BANGALORE: Afternoons are a nightmare for commuters standing in serpentine queues at the rear entrance of the City Railway Station.

Several popular trains depart in the afternoon from platforms six to ten accessed from this entrance. Between 2 p.m and 4.30 p.m, there are at least five trains which can be boarded here, including Tipu Express and Shatabdi Express.

Passengers hoping for an easy time at the smaller gate are in for a surprise, as the rush is no less. Unlike the main entrance, there is no shelter and one has brave the weather while awaiting the turn at the counter.

``Earlier, these counters were not so crowded. Maybe not too many people knew about this entrance. Now, the queues have grown longer, but the railway authorities have not taken any measures to cope with the rush,'' N. Shivaram, who travels frequently to Mysore, said.

``There is no separate counter for platform tickets. Though I stand on the platform for just 15 minutes to see my friend off, I have to wait in the queue for half an hour,'' Lakshmi, a student, rued.

Although there are four platform ticket vending machines (PTVMs) and a coin dispenser at the city station, there is none at the rear entrance. There are three booking counters adjacent to each other, all of which sell platform and train tickets. Loud arguments and minor scuffles are a common sight, as the long wait wears down patience.

Another problem is that there is none to regulate crowds at the entry gate, so the crowds are often disorderly. Tickets too are often not checked.

After revamping the main entrance, works will begin on the rear entrance also, railways authorities said