The Hindu : National : Better passenger amenities at Chennai Egmore station

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Wednesday, Jun 11, 2008
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Better passenger amenities at Chennai Egmore station

S. Vydhianathan

The Railways has spent Rs. 445.44 lakh on development

Improvements to first and second class retiring rooms
Automatic ticket vending machines

CHENNAI: With the introduction of more main line train services from Chennai Egmore to various destinations, the Southern Railway administration has taken steps to improve amenities to the travelling public.

In the last two years, the administration had spent Rs 445.44 lakh for providing various amenities. The works included improvement to approach road, landscaping of circulating area, additional facilities to the first and second class retiring rooms, improvement to parking area, porticos, suburban concourse and provision of X-ray scanner and surveillance cameras. To maintain cleanliness, it has introduced mechanised cleaning of station buildings, platforms and tracks. It has introduced plasma display screen, and flip flap train information board.

For the convenience of the people with disability, it has provided ramp, escalators, and battery-operated cars and low level drinking water taps. Apart from improving the surfaces of platforms 1 to 4, platforms 5, 6 and 7 are to be extended. Two new island platforms (7 and 8 ) are being constructed. After the completion of the platform works, more services could be diverted from Chennai Central to Egmore, which in turn would reduce the congestion at Central. From August 1, Chennai Central–Dadar Express is to start from Egmore.

Second entry

Though a second entry has been provided to the station since 2006, passengers’ response is not encouraging due to lack of facilities. Now bus bays have been provided and about 30 buses are operating to areas in western parts of the city, including Avadi, Poonamallee, and Anna Nagar and to suburban colonies in the north Chennai such as Tiruvottiyur and Ennore. Automatic ticket vending machines have been set up for the convenience of passengers using the second entry. These additional facilities, officials hope, will encourage passengers to use the second entry.

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