Areal residents agitate against lack of amenities at rly station

Areal residents agitate against lack of amenities at rly station
HERALD REPORTER
MARGAO, NOV 9
This so-called railway station has neither a shelter nor a bench for the passenger to sit and a platform to board or alight from the trains with ease. Even the issuance of tickets is irregular, and passengers are forced to fend for themselves when caught by ticket checkers, if one goes by the passengers from Sao Jose de Areal.
Passengers wonder whether the proposed double rail line would be of any help to them if the Indian railways cannot even provide the basics such as a shelter, a bench or other amenities at the station.
Irate passengers on Tuesday assembled on the railway tracks to register their protest against the non-availability of basic amenities at the Sao Jose de Areal Railway station.
“This railway station is normally availed by the common man to travel on the local trains running between Colem and Vasco. No doubt, the trains stop at the scheduled time, but the railways have not bothered to provide the required facilities over the years”, lamented a regular train traveler.
The irregular issuance of tickets has hit the passengers the most. Says a farmer Rosamaria Dias: “The agricultural produce from the farms is confiscated by the ticket checkers when traveled ticketless. But, the people are willing to buy the tickets, but the ticket issuance booth many time remains closed for reasons best known to the railway authorities”.
She along with other travelers have called upon the Goa government to take up the matter with the railway authorities and help the common man traveling by trains.
Passengers are also sore over the fact there’s not even a platform worth its name at this railway station. As a result, handicapped and the elderly face difficulty in boarding or alighting from the trains.
Another traveler said the people were elated after news spread that the station would be renovated to meet the requirements, but in vain.
“This station has remained as it is over the last two decades. There is a industrial estate at Nessai, but the government has not shown any interest in building a railway station with a platform, shelter, benches, sanitation and drinking water facilties”, he added.