Chaibasa, March 13: The town’s 105-year-old railway station, which sees just two passenger trains chugging off its ramshackle platforms, is poised for a rebirth. The railway has approved a modernisation plan and sanctioned Rs 18.5 lakh for the purpose.

The move follows a public outcry and a demand by the chamber of commerce and political parties to upgrade the railway station. Soon after the railway budget, the district had observed a bandh to press for the demand. “The plan would be implemented in two phases. The first phase would involve renovation work on the old railway station. It would include beautification, construction of shades for passengers, parking space for private vehicles and a new lighting system. Platforms would also be widened to accommodate more passengers coming from remote villages,” said S.C. Jha, the divisional manager of Southeastern Railway, Chakradharpur.

In the second phase, priority would be given to the construction of a similar railway station on the other side of the old station. The new station would have a parking lot, restaurant, provision for reservation and other modern facilities. A footbridge would be built to link both the stations. “Work will begin shortly,” Jha said.

It is one of the oldest railway stations in India and popularly known as the “golden line” of this division as it contributes five per cent to the annual revenue of the railway. Despite this, it has been accorded a “step-motherly treatment”.

“The Union minister of railway seems to have realised the importance of this region and has given some concessions after 55 years of Independence.” said the convener of Railway Anodolan Samity Anoop Sultania, who met railway minister Nitish Kumar and urged him to introduce an express train for the Kolhan and Lohanchal region.

According to railway rules, railway stations are divided into three groups — A, B and E — depending on the sale of tickets. In Jharkhand, Tatanagar railway which has with an annual sale of tickets worth Rs 6 crore falls in the “A” category. However, Chakradharpur railway junction has been slotted in the “B” class as it sells tickets worth Rs 3 crore. But, the oldest railway station of Jharkhand falls under “E” class. There are only two passenger trains — Tata-Gua and Tata Barbil — that ply on the golden line.

There are more than 60 goods trains which run at regular intervals on this line. The annual sale of passenger train tickets is between Rs 30 lakh and Rs 40 lakh. “We have been demanding an extension of the Steel Express to Barbil and Orissa so that people of Kolhan and Lohanchal benefit. This region has been neglected for more than five decades by the railway ministry,” said Sultania.

Even people have been demanding more trains in this zone for years, he added.