Five lifts for city railway station

Five lifts for city railway station
S Lalitha
Divisional Railway Manager, South Western Railway, Mahesh Mangal said that two lifts, one leading to platform one and another linking the joint platform of seven and eight have been commissioned already.

Life for commuters from the City railway station will be made much more easier in the near future as five high capacity lifts are going to be installed in the premises shortly to carry passengers and luggages to the respective platforms.
Speaking to Deccan Herald, Divisional Railway Manager, South Western Railway, Mahesh Mangal said that two lifts, one leading to platform one and another linking the joint platform of seven and eight have been commissioned already.
Supriya Lifts has been awarded the contract for the same and it would be ready for use within two months. A total of Rs 50,000 had been spent for the same.
The other lifts, one each for the joint platforms of two and three, five and six, and nine and ten will be installed within the current financial year. The Railways will spend a total of Rs 1.25 crore for the five lifts, he added.
“These lifts are quite large and can carry around 15 people as well as luggages,” Mangal said. They will be installed on one side of the subway and the stairs will be present on the other end. As platform four does not have an exit for subway, it will be the only platform that will not be connected by lifts. Steps are being taken to man the lifts around the clock.
The general trend by passengers is to prefer to use the subway to the Foot over Bridge (FOB) facility. Bearing this in mind, the lifts are being readied.
In addition, the concourse will have another lift which will lead it to the first and second floors of the retiring rooms, the DRM said. This lift has been considered due to the complaints we have received from the public, particularly the aged, about the difficulty they have in climbing stairs, particularly those in the second floor.
“We are also inviting tenders from private parties for handling luggages of passengers. Platforms are presently crowded with luggages thereby reducing the space for the public,” the railway official said.
The Railways is also looking out for an agency to take over ragpicking on the tracks.
The garbage strewn away in plenty on the tracks present a sorry sight presently, he added.
Toilets will also be constructed for the combined platform of 7 and 8 as part of improvement work undertaken at the station. Toilets will also be constructed for the a/c lounge present there, Mangal informed.