New platforms for Ranchi station

Chief Justice Prakash Tatia inaugurates the new railway court in Ranchi on Wednesday. (Hardeep Singh)

Two new platforms at Ranchi railway station would be commissioned from Thursday, with engineers completing installation of the mechanical interlocking system on the tracks that connect them.

The announcement to this effect was made by divisional railway manager G. Mallya, while interacting with newsmen at a function where Chief Justice of Jharkhand High Court Prakash Tatia inaugurated a new railway court.

“We carried out trial runs of trains on the tracks on Wednesday. From Thursday, the two platforms would be opened for passenger as well as goods trains,” Mallya said.

The work of installing the mechanical interlocking system at Ranchi railway station started on January 20.

After Ranchi became the state capital, the number of trains, particularly passenger ones, increased manifold as the railway ministry kept adding new trains every year. At present, as many as 50 trains, not including numerous good trains, pass through Ranchi station every day.

“Some, especially local trains, had to be halted on the outskirts of the city for want of sufficient platforms at Ranchi station. Now, the two new platforms will solve this problem,” Mallya said.

Meanwhile, the inauguration of the railway court was attended by many judges of Jharkhand High Court, including Justices R.K. Merathia, D.N. Patel, N.N. Tiwari, Prashant Kumar, R.R. Prasad, P.P. Bhatt, Harishchandra Mishra, D.N. Upadhyay and Aparesh Kumar.

Judicial magistrate Rashikesh Kumar, the judge at the railway court who earlier functioned from a small two-room office at Ranchi railway station, said the new campus was suitable for judicial work. “Now, we have one huge hall and two rooms which will offer us enough space,” he said.

Railway officials plan to open additional ticket counters at the place where earlier the railway court stood on platform no. 1.