Choked pipeline causes trouble at railway station

LUDHIANA: The unhygienic condition of city railway station led to an argument between railway employees and officers on Monday during the inspection of station improvement group (SIG).
Employees refused to fill water in the Malwa Express and the train moved from the station only when employees were given assurance that the problem would be solved soon.Members of the SIG were conducting inspection at the station but the employees started protesting and refused to fill the water in Malwa Express that had reached the station at that time.
The employees said the drain’s pipeline was choked too badly, causing inconvenience to them in doing their work. Moreover, it was stinking all around and passengers were complaining about the same, they added.
When contacted, divisional medical officer at the station Dr Chetna said, “The entire work of maintaining cleanliness at the station is to be handed over to some private agency but since the authorities were taking some time in doing so, we hired a contractor.” She said they had allotted platform numbers 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 to the contractor while they were maintaining the platform numbers 1 and 2.
The railway authorities had announced to hand over the cleanliness of the station to some hi-tech professional agency but due to certain reasons, the officials could not allot the tender for the same. According to the department, they would need 45 days to oversee the results of tenders and in the meantime, the cleanliness work has been left to the mercy of God.
Commuters, too, feel the dire need to improve the sanitation condition at the station. A businessman and resident of civil lines, Manohar Sharma said, “The tracks are filled with garbage and train compartments are stinking, adding to the woes of passengers travelling through trains.” He said the authorities should immediately take steps to improve the condition.