Chakradharpur division fails to install escalators at Tatanagar in five years

Mail News Service

Jamshedpur, Mar 11: Despite being labeled as the model station of the South East Zone, Tatanagar station in the Chakradharpur Division has faced a setback as the Railways failed to install four escalators on its platforms over the past five years. This deficiency has resulted in inconvenience for sick and elderly passengers who struggle with stair climbing.

While an escalator was recently installed on platform number one, it has not been operational for the past two months. Consequently, passengers find it challenging to access Burmamines Gate from the platform. In 2018, Chakradharpur Division installed two escalators from platform number one to three at a cost of Rs. 1 crore 65 lakh. Subsequently, the Railways laid the foundation stone for four additional escalators on March 9, 2019, for passenger convenience, but work on three of them has yet to commence.

As a result, passengers are compelled to use stairs for platform transitions, and those with mobility challenges resort to crossing the railway lines to reach another platform. It has been proposed that Railways will install all three escalators on the newly constructed foot overbridge, yet no escalators for descending have been implemented.

While other major railway stations in different states provide escalators for both ascending and descending, Tatanagar currently only offers escalators for ascending on the three platforms. There is just one lift at Tatanagar, and work on the second one is pending. The delay in installing essential facilities raises concerns as passengers continue to face challenges in accessing and departing from the station.