Panchkula side access: Pick-and-drop fee riles passengers at Chandigarh railway station

Passengers arriving at the Chandigarh railway station’s Panchkula side are finding themselves caught in a perplexing situation—forced to pay parking charges even for the briefest pick-up or drop-off.

This levy is compelling drivers of auto-rickshaws, e-rickshaws and taxis to avoid entering the station premises altogether, leaving passengers to navigate a considerable distance, often burdened with luggage, just to reach the main entrance.

The root of the problem lies in a clear directive displayed at the station: “Pick and drop facility is not available.”

This applies even to vehicles pausing for under two minutes. For taxis and cabs, entry attracts a ₹40 charge, while e-rickshaws and auto-rickshaws face a ₹20 fee. Astonishingly, even bicycles are subject to an entry cost.

“The passengers often want us to drop them near the entrance, but it is not possible because whatever we earn will be given in parking,” lamented Balwinder, an auto driver, echoing the sentiment of many.

The impact on passengers is palpable. Rama, a 72-year-old traveller laden with two heavy bags, shared her ordeal: “My train is at 3.30 pm, but I arrived here more than an hour ago because I’ve to walk all the way to the entrance as there are charges for vehicles even for entering. It is so unfair for the auto drivers and for us too.”

Her experience is not an isolated incident. The parking fee is triggered the moment a vehicle enters the designated lane, with no consideration for the duration of the stop. On-ground observations confirm that even vehicles halting for less than a minute are charged the full amount.

Desperation has driven some to take matters into their own hands. A makeshift path, carved through a damaged section of fencing, has emerged as a risky and unauthorised short-cut, starkly illustrating the passengers’ predicament and their feeling of being abandoned.

Anil Verma, a passenger stranded after arriving from Uttar Pradesh, recounted his experience, “I had five pieces of luggage, and my auto driver said he’ll charge ₹50 extra just to enter. That’s the entry fee alone, not his fare. He’s helpless, and so are we. I had no option but to squeeze through that bent fence with my family.”

When contacted about the issue, senior divisional commercial manager Naveen Kumar Jha defended the system, stating, “Parking is a mode of revenue generation, but the rates have been kept reasonable. Certainly not as high as ₹200 or ₹500, like those charged at airport.”

He acknowledged the access issue on the Panchkula side, mentioning ongoing construction to address it.

Jha explained that the current six-month short-term parking contract was implemented following numerous complaints of vehicle theft and a lack of accountability.

“No authority, including the police, took ownership earlier. So we had to ensure safety and security through this system, hence the charges. If commercial drivers or unions are unwilling to pay the nominal charges, that is beyond our control,” he asserted.

This is not the first instance of such concerns at the Chandigarh railway station.

The platform 1 side faced similar challenges in 2022 when a new parking system was introduced.

While it offered a six-minute free grace period for non-commercial vehicles, passengers still reported overcharging, confusion and disputes with parking attendants. The free access period for the private vehicle was eventually increased to 10 minutes.

But the absence of a similar facility on the Panchkula side continues to be a source of significant inconvenience and frustration for passengers.

Attempts to obtain a comment from station superintendent JP Singh on the matter remained unsuccessful.