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Puducherry railway station yet to have storage yard

— Photo: T. Singaravelou

LYING IN THE OPEN: Wheat grains spilled over while unloading at the Puducherry railway station recently.

PUDUCHERRY: Though the Puducherry Railway Station has been witnessing a steady rise in the handling of freight traffic over the last few years, authorities are yet to establish facilities for storage of goods in the station.

The station, which handles about 100 goods’ wagons on an average every month, did not have a storage yard. The goods, mostly Food Corporation of India supplies, are stored in open on the platform. If it any time there was a delay in transporting the goods, the items get over-exposed to sun light and get drenched in the rain, resulting in huge losses for the buyers. There have also been reports of loss due to spill over of goods.

Recently, several bags of wheat got spilled over in the platform and along the railway track while the consignment was unloaded from the wagons. The wheat grains remained exposed to sun light for a few days in platform number three. Except platform number one, which handles passenger traffic, the other two platforms do not have roofing.

Sources in the Railway Station told The Hindu that a proposal had been pending with the Railways to put ceiling for about 200 meters in the second and third platforms. The proposal was to give proper roofing to accommodate aro und 19 coaches, they added.

Another proposal pending with the Railway authorities related to having a separate storage yard on the station premises.

The station had been witnessing substantial growth in freight traffic. When compared to last year, it had doubled this year, they pointed out.

After the introduction of new services including the weekly super fast and the express train the passenger traffic volume had increased tremendously, they said.

Enhancing facilities at the Puducherry railway station also assumed importance as on an average, it handled about 1500 passengers on an average daily, they said adding the number also included those visiting the station for reservation purpose.

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