Public suffer extensively due to shortage/lack of toilet and bathroom facilities in Arkonam Railway junction.
Arkonam Railway Station is 155 years’ old.
It has 8 platforms.
It is the 2nd largest railway station after Chennai Centtral Railway Station in Tamil Nadu.
Arkoanam station is an important junction for the trains from Chennai moving towards the Western & Northern parts of India.
100s of express trains, electric trains, and goods trains pass moving from Chennai-Renigunta section & Chennai-Jolarpettai section in 2 separate tracks.
1000s of passengers travel daily as they work in Chennai, Kanchipuram, Vellore, Thiruvallur, and other nearby places.
However, basic amenities like toilet are woefully short in the station.
Currently, there is a toilet provided between 2nd & 3rd platforms and another between 4th & 5th platforms.
There is only one bathroom and even that is not functioning due to water problems.
Commuters who travel in electric train which have no toilet systems find it difficult to visit toilet even as they reach Arkonam station. Some of them even relieve themselves on the edge of the pavement path!
When women enter & use the toilet, they are charged from Rs. 3/- to Rs. 5/-!
Residents who live the near station have tended to use the space near the 8th platform (from which the trains to Villupuram & Puducherry start) as open toilet!
This puts the passengers waiting in the platform 8 to untold hardship with this gross hygiene negligence. . Further, this has the risk of spreading diseases.
Passengers expect that concerned authorities like Railway Police or Railway Protection Force should build a fence in the area and monitor.
Another aspect is that there are many passengers who travel long distances to catch their trains from Arkonam station. When they have to spend the night time sleeping in the station, they do not have the facility to wash or bathe. Only one bathroom is available which does not work due to water problem.
Thus, the passengers visiting Arkonam junction are out to geat hardship due to lack of basic amenities.
The passengers expect immediate remedial action should be taken for improvement of the station!
254 total views, 1 views today