News
No development in rail transport
View(s):The railway services have been operating in the country for the past one-hundred-and-fifty-five years.
Story and pics by Indika Handuwala.
Unfortunately it is the self-same network first introduced to the country by the British in 1864, that is operating today.
Strangely the rail network has hardly been extended and development of the sector has come to a standstill.
The ancient entrances and points of exit remain unchanged in size, despite the increasing number of passengers.
The number of counters issuing tickets too, remain unchanged, leading to long queues of commuters waiting to purchase tickets.
According to concerned persons many train engines too continue to remain unchanged.
At the Fort and Maradana railway stations it is a common sight to see hundreds trying to get in and out of the stations through the narrow passageways originally constructed to handle far fewer passengers.
However, the number of protests by railway workers, engine drivers, the frequency of trains derailing, engine breaking down, and the countless hours spent by passengers waiting for trains, are the only tangibles that are on the rise.
Expecting a quicker mode of transport from the traffic-congested roads, many passengers are switching from road to rail transport.
At the Fort station passengers struggle to leave the station
Commuters jostle to enter and leave stations
The over a century-old exit and entrances often cause blocks and unnecessary delays
Large bottle-necks occur especially during the rush hour as passengers hurry to leave the station to get to their workplaces in time
At rush hour trains are overcrowded with passengers clinging on for dear life
Congestion on city roads have made many commuters switch to rail transport...