Ahmedabad, Oct 22 (IANS) Passengers at Ahmedabad railway station have called for a separate waiting room, improved cleanliness on platforms 3 and 4, and easier access to drinking water and handwashing facilities during an interaction organised by Western Railway on Thursday.
The feedback was gathered during the ‘Rail Jan Samvad’ programme held at 107 railway stations in the Ahmedabad division as part of ‘Special Cleanliness Campaign 6.0’.
Divisional Railway Manager Ved Prakash interacted with passengers at Ahmedabad railway station to seek their views on cleanliness, waiting areas, drinking water, washrooms and other passenger amenities.
During the interaction, one passenger expressed satisfaction with the cleanliness and toilet facilities but suggested that a separate waiting room be provided.
Another called for improvements to cleanliness on platforms 3 and 4 and better access to drinking water and handwashing facilities.
Passengers waiting for late-night trains in the air-conditioned waiting room also highlighted the need for adequate seating space.
Prakash also spoke to auto-rickshaw drivers outside the station to understand their experiences with parking arrangements and vehicle operations.
An auto-rickshaw driver, who provides transport services through an online application, said: “I am not facing any particular difficulty at the station.”
He also pointed to improvements in parking facilities at Sabarmati railway station.
Speaking to the media, Prakash said the feedback received during the programme would be classified according to the nature and priority of the issues raised.
“Matters that could be resolved immediately would be taken up on priority, while a phased action plan would be prepared for medium- and long-term requirements. Infrastructure-related demands would be processed through the prescribed procedures,” he said.
The programme was conducted at 107 stations across the Ahmedabad division, with senior divisional officials interacting directly with passengers at 39 major stations.
At the remaining stations, station superintendents and station masters collected feedback on existing facilities and areas requiring improvement.
Railway officials also interacted with passengers travelling on trains to gather their experiences, travel-related concerns and suggestions.
As part of the cleanliness campaign, street plays were organised at railway stations across the division to raise awareness about maintaining cleanliness, proper waste disposal and e-waste management, as well as keeping railway premises clean.
The ‘Rail Jan Samvad’ initiative aims to gather feedback from passengers and other stakeholders and use it to identify areas for improvement in railway services and station facilities.
–IANS
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