Guwahati: In order to further improve the existing passenger amenities and make railway stations more passenger-friendly, N.F. Railway has installed several lifts and escalators at stations within its jurisdiction with considerable footfalls. In fact, NFR has decided to uplift the available infrastructure of a few selected railway stations to higher standards. Such transformation aims to facilitate the easy movement of passengers, especially the elderly, differently abled, and ailing, from one platform to another. New lifts and escalators will play an important role in addition to the provisioning and upgrading of many other passenger amenities.
Presently, there are 45 lifts and 35 escalators operating in major stations under the five divisions of N.F. Railway. During the previous financial year of 2023–24, four lifts were commissioned, with two at Barsoi and the other two at Jalpaiguri Road railway stations. A total of four escalators were also commissioned at Agartala and Kamakhya railway stations, with two escalators each at either station.
Works for the installation of 94 lifts at 46 railway stations have been sanctioned under the ‘Amrit Bharat Station Scheme’ and are underway. Similarly, the works of additionally sanctioned 26 escalators at 13 stations under the ‘Amrit Bharat Station Scheme’ are also at different stages of installation.
In view of the ever-increasing passenger volumes, NF Railway emphasises the construction of more lifts and escalators at major stations for safe and convenient entry and exit of passengers, as well as for ease of cross-navigation within the railway facilities. These additional facilities will provide easier access to passengers, help in providing them a pleasant experience of train journeys, and make the railway services more user-friendly, a press release said.
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