TEAM HERALD
CANACONA: The Konkan Railway station officials at Canacona have been accused of keeping the platform in darkness most nights, by switching off the lights in the evening, thus forcing the passengers to wait in darkness for arrival of trains or walk in darkness at night.
However, Canacona KRC Station Master Sudin Bhende maintained that “the entire platform is illuminated 15 minutes before the arrival of a train and no commuters are kept in darkness.”
The commuters however have countered this and alleged that at night, the platform lights are switched on only when a train arrives at the station and then switched-off immediately, as soon as the train leaves the station.
Dennis Fernandes of Canacona told Herald that he recently accompanied his in-laws who were to board a train for Mumbai at Canacona Railway station at 4.26 am. “The lights were on when we arrived at the station. Carrying heavy luggage, we walked nearly 100 metres to reach the location where S-10 compartment was to arrive. At about 4.45 am, the platform lights suddenly went off and we were left totally in darkness.”
“There were about 12 people on the platform. Initially, we thought it was some electric fault that led to the blackout; however, when a railway staff moving around with a torch was asked, we were surprised to learn from him that the lights were switched off because the train was delayed by an hour,” said Fernandes.
“When we approached the station master and asked him why lights are switched off, especially when so many people were standing on the platform, he said that there are instructions to do so.”
An old woman, who too had to board the train at the odd hour, was heard complaining that when coming to Goa some days back, the train was delayed and reached KRC Canacona station at 12.30 am. The moment they alighted and the train left, lights went off and she along with her daughter, were forced to walk in the darkness.
When contacted, Canacona KRC Station Master Sudin Bhende maintained that the entire platform is illuminated only 15 minutes before the arrival of the train, but denied that any commuters are kept in the darkness and that no such incident took place during his watch. “But there are instructions not to unnecessarily keep the lights on, as some complaints have been filed of heavy electricity consumption,” Bhende stated.
Bhende when provided with details of the incident, day and time, maintained that some other station master was on duty that day.
When contacted, KRC PRO Baban Ghatde said such measures have been initiated to save energy. But when informed that commuters are put to great inconvenience and moreover safety of women is at stake by such measures, Ghatge said, “We will take all measures so that such incidents do not occur and platform lights will not be switched-off henceforth, especially when there are commuters on the platform/station.”
