Absence of foot overbridge at Dhandari rly station proving fatal for commuters

Despite availability of three foot overbridges at Ludhiana Railway Station already, the work is on at another foot overbridge, but passengers are still harried, as every day they have to run helter-skelter to catch their train in absence of a foot overbridge connecting platform number one to platform number two at the Dhandari Railway Station.

General manager, Northern Railways, is likely to visit Ludhiana Railway Station on November 22, where locals will submit a memorandum to him demanding a foot overbridge for the Dhandari Railway Station to avoid mishaps.

Locals said that the authorities pay no heed towards their demand for a foot overbridge at Dhandari station, the work on which started around two years ago, but is still hanging fire.

Several commuters risk their lives by crossing the tracks to reach platform number 2 from platform number 1 at the railway station.

According to locals, an average 10 people die every month, while crossing the tracks on Ludhiana-Delhi route near Dhandari Railway Station.

“We have been demanding a foot overbridge at Dhandari Railway Station for long, but authorities have never paid any attention towards our demand. The railway station is situated along the National Highway and several residents living in Dhandari and adjoining areas take train from this station to reach their respective destinations. Hence it is important to have a foot overbridge here,” Rajan Kumar said.

“Hundreds of passengers visit the Dhandari station every day endangering their lives. Several people have died while crossing the tracks to reach the other side. Sometimes, passengers fail to estimate the speed of the trains coming from the opposite side. The work on foot overbridge did start but for past around two years, it is in the middle of nowhere,” said RK Yadav, a resident of Dhandari and a Samajwadi Party leader.

“We will submit a memorandum to the general manager, Northern Railways demanding a foot overbrige at Dhandari Railway Station,” he added.

T Rana, station superintendent at Dhandari railway station when contacted said: “Only the divisional railway manager can comment over the issue.”

Divisional railway manager, NC Goyal, said: “I do not have any information about the status of the work on the foot overbridge at Dhandari station right now. The general manager of the Northern Railways will conduct an inspection at the Ludhiana Railway Station on November 22. He will also inspect the construction of the new foot overbridge being constructed at Ludhiana railway station.”