Visakhapatnam: The railway authorities have been promising to develop Vizag station on international standards, but they are unable to provide basic amenities like pure drinking water, and free toilets to passengers.
The railways had maintained free toilets here for the past few years but passengers now pay to use the toilets after they were handed over to private parties.
The only free toilet on the Gnanapuram side is totally unhygienic. Ever since sanitation maintenance of Visakhapat-nam station was given to private agencies there are frequent strikes by workers due to pending salaries, resulting in garbage piling up around the station.
Authorities installed two escalators between platform number 2-3 and 4-5 which was inaugurated in April this year. They were established on Build, Operate and Transfer (BOT) system at a cost of Rs 25 lakh each. As per norms the construction company has to appoint one person at the escalator to assist the passengers but it was never implemented. Both escalators are frequently turned off due to technical problems and there is no one to rectify the technical failure.
Passengers have to drink impure water as the coolers are not maintained. CCTV cameras are under repair for months. The passengers are plagued by stray dogs which roam on the platforms. Passengers cross the tracks to reach the other platform with no railway staff to stop or warn the passengers. But the authorities have done nothing to solve these problems.
Station manager C. Jena said, “Maintenan-ce work was given to a private contractor. But if their work is not up to the mark we will impose fines. We are trying hard to provide more facilities to passengers.”
