SWR neglect leaves Vijayapura railway station in shambles

Pics:Shorter length platform 2 and 3 at Vijayapura railway station; Passengers have to board or deboard from the extended platform of platform 2 risking their life, especially in the night.Vijayapura: Known for landmarks such as the Gol Gumbaz, Vijayapura attracts tourists from across the country and abroad. With the completion of line doubling between Almatti and Wandal stations, residents of the region are hopeful of the introduction of premium services such as the Vande Bharat Express. The city draws a large number of passengers, including foreign tourists, travelling by train from destinations such as Hampi, Mumbai, Hyderabad and Bengaluru.However, alleged apathy by the South Western Railway (SWR) in maintaining Vijayapura railway station has turned travel into a risk for commuters. Several facilities at the station remain dysfunctional, with display boards often not working and platforms 2 and 3 being too short to accommodate long-distance and express trains. Though platform 2 has been temporarily extended towards Solapur, passengers say a permanent solution is urgently needed.Commuters also pointed out that renovation work at the station has been underway for nearly a year but is progressing at a snail's pace.Gangadhar Patil, a private employee from Vijayapura, told TOI that the station infrastructure is inadequate for safe boarding and deboarding. "Autorickshaws block the passage, and it takes at least five minutes to cross a stretch of barely 20m. The Railway Protection Force (RPF) and local police pass the responsibility to each other. Train information and coach position display boards are often non-functional, and even when they work, they show incorrect coach positions," he said.Vani Naik, a homemaker, alleged that ticket counter staff routinely deny concessional tickets to students appearing for govt examinations, sportspersons travelling for tournaments, persons with disabilities, and patients suffering from cancer, thalassemia, kidney and heart ailments, citing various reasons. "When I travelled with my daughter, who is a kidney patient, I was asked to produce a letter from a medical college. Even after submitting it, the staff demanded a certificate from the district surgeon. I had to visit the station four times to avail the concession," she said.Rajendra Naik, a senior citizen, pointed out the absence of escalators and lifts at the station. "Senior citizens, pregnant women and passengers with luggage and children avoid climbing the foot overbridge and instead cross the tracks, risking their lives," he said.Responding to the concerns, SP Praveen, divisional public relations officer, SWR, said the issue of shorter platforms is temporary and linked to ongoing yard remodelling work. "Due to current yard constraints, it is not possible to extend platforms 2 and 3 at present. Once the remodelling is completed, full-length platforms will be commissioned to safely accommodate all long-distance and express trains. Necessary improvements will be ensured after completion of the work," he said.
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