Railway platforms at all stations in and around Calcutta with high passenger footfall will be cleared to improve passenger access, a railway official said on Wednesday.
“Our prime focus is on high-footfall stations. The platforms of some of these stations are teeming with illegal occupants, causing inconvenience to passengers. We want to ensure platforms are free of encroachments so passengers can use them freely,” said the official, who requested anonymity.
In mid-May, a fortnight after the change in regime in Bengal, railway authorities launched eviction drives across stations in and around Calcutta. Since then, hundreds of structures — stalls and shanties — have been demolished at Howrah, Sealdah, Dum Dum Junction and Park Circus.
According to railway sources, development projects were stalled due to encroachments. These will now be taken up in phases.
“We have sanctions for more than 40 foot overbridges under the Sealdah division, but they could not be taken up because of encroachments,” said a source.
Senior railway officials are expected to visit Park Circus station soon, where a drive demolished more than 100 structures in the intervening night between Saturday and Sunday.
Passenger sheds, lighting and a new booking office are planned for the station, railway sources said.
“It has been decided that no vending activity will be allowed on high-footfall platforms. Even authorised vendors will not be allowed. One or two water sellers may be allowed at the end of a platform,” said a source.
A section of hawkers has moved Calcutta High Court challenging the eviction drive. The matter is scheduled for hearing again on July 8. The court has issued an interim stay on some evictions.
During the demolition at Park Circus station, five stalls were spared. Railway officials said they were left untouched as their owners are petitioners in the case.
“The railway authorities have misinterpreted the court’s observations. We will move a contempt petition over the Park Circus eviction drive,” said Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharyya, senior advocate representing a section of the petitioners.
Railway officials declined to comment on the legal merits of the matter.
“Notices are being issued before every eviction drive. Physical campaigns are being conducted, urging squatters to leave,” a railway official said.
More trains in Sealdah
Sealdah division will increase suburban train services from July 6 to manage rising passenger demand and peak-hour congestion, divisional railway manager Rajeev Saxena said on Wednesday.An AC local will be introduced on the busy Sealdah-Barasat line. It will leave Sealdah at 10.33am and Barasat at 11.29am. The Sealdah-Sonarpur local will be extended up to Canning, while the Sealdah-Baruipur local will now run till Lakshmikantapur.
To address late-night connectivity gaps to Krishnanagar, the Sealdah-Ranaghat local (train no. 31629) will now run up to Krishnanagar, departing Sealdah at 10.08pm and returning at 5.34am. The service will operate Monday to Friday.
Circular tweak
No suburban trains on the Circular Railway line will pass through Kolkata (Chitpore) station between 11.15am and 5.15pm daily from July 6. During this period, services will originate from and terminate at Tala station, about 300 metres away. The six-hour window will be reserved for long-distance mail and express trains.
This is part of a series of changes by the Sealdah division. It is aimed at addressing “acute platform scarcity” at Kolkata station, Saxena said.