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Dimapur railway station needs complete renovation: Chang |
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DIMAPUR, OCT 5 (EMN): “Not at all satisfactory, the whole station needs complete renovation. The railway authorities have not given due importance to Dimapur railway station,” lone Lok Sabha from Nagaland CM Chang said during his maiden inspection of the railway station on Friday evening.
The MP who will be leaving for Delhi tomorrow said he will immediately take up the issue with the Railway Ministry.
Chnag said he was appalled at the condition of Dimapur railway station, the second highest revenue generating station in the North-East region after Guwahati.
The MP accompanied by Dimapur railway officials inspected the infrastructure and amenities in the station including sanitation, drinking water facility and other amenities.
Chang was taken aback when a railway official confessed that the dozen water taps along the railway platform were not purified as per norms. To a query from a journalist on the unhygienic drinking water, the official said that the fault lay with the engineering department.
The MP also pointed out that the infrastructure including roofing of the platform was not in tune with the tag of Dimapur railway station as the second highest revenue earning station in northeast.
The railway officials also admitted that the passenger amenities provided was not commensurate with the earning of the station.
“Passenger amenities are provided according to revenue generated by a railway station but that is not matching here in this station,” a railway official told the MP.
Asked on the problems of the station, the railway official said that shortage of staff was getting into way of smooth functioning of the station.
The officials also said that as per popular and public demand, additional booking counters should be opened, increase in seat reservations in the Rajdhani Express for the state and, an inquiry booth to be set up at the Passenger Reservation Service (PRS).
The MP also welcomed suggestions that the BG Express originating and terminating at Guwahati and Dimapur respectively, should be renamed as “Nagaland Express,” since the name BG standing for “broad gauge” had little significance.
Winding up his visit, Chang said that he would earnestly pursue with the Railway Ministry on upgradation and standardization of the only railway station in Nagaland.
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