Escalator at KSR Rly station stalled for three months as no one to inaugurate it!

A full three months after it was installed, the escalator of South Western Railways (SWR) on the crucial platform number one of Krantiveera Sangolli Rayanna (KSR) Railway Station in the Majestic area is yet to be thrown open to the public, putting senior travellers and those with medical complications under severe pressure. After ascending the Foot Over Bridge(FOB) connecting all 10 platforms from the concourse, pasengers face a problem; the escalator descending to platform one is closed, forcing passengers to take the stairs.

Senior citizens with heavy luggage suffer the most. A couple (pictured here) were visibly tired and disappointed to see the escalator not functioning. On their way to Hindupur, the husband shrugged it off saying he was used to civic apathy. However, his wife, for whom he had to wait, didn’t have a pleasant experience. Another passenger who had to catch a train to Chennai, was disappointed with the delay. “They should prioritise passengers who pay a lot for tickets; instead, the authorities are preoccupied with other commitments,” the passenger added. Officials from SWR defended their wait for a formal inauguration. An official said: “You can’t conduct a housewarming function without your mother’s presence. Similarly, we feel it's better that the escalator built for senior citizens should be opened by those who helped fund it,” the official said, adding that minor wiring work will be done in a week.

A letter for opening the escalator is reportedly pending with the Divisional Railway Manager’s office (DRM). When approached, DRM Yogesh Mohan was not available for a comment. This is not the first time a public infrastructure project, despite being complete, is delayed due to higher authorities and elected representatives not being able to inaugurate it. The extension of Namma Metro’s green line from Nagasandra to Madawara faced a monthlong delay after a successful safety inspection.

Present DRM not living up to expectations: Dugar

Rajkumar Dugar from Citizens4Citizens expressed disappointment over the fact that the authorities were waiting for their higher ups to inaugurate basic facilities. “I remember the previous DRM who would request a nearby passenger, vendor or visitor to inaugurate facilities at KSR station. It is disappointing to see the present DRM not living up to that mark,” he said adding, “Nowadays, we see unreasonable delays. Money is spent. Work is done. But people continue to suffer since somebody does not have the time for the inauguration.”