Ara: Padma Shri awardee Bhim Singh Bhavesh has written to the general manager of East Central Railway, Hajipur, seeking urgent repairs of potholes and damaged sections on Platforms 1, 2, 3 and 4 of Ara Junction.In his letter, Bhavesh said gaps and damaged portions of the platforms were inconveniencing passengers and had resulted in frequent injuries. He said Ara Junction generates around Rs10 crore in revenue every month, but several basic passenger amenities were missing. He sought action on 12 demands within 10 days, including commissioning the escalator under construction and lift on platform number 4, transparent monitoring of sanitation workers, supervision of cleaning machines, repair of old sheds and expansion of shelters.Other demands include water supply and toilet facilities on Platforms 2 and 3, proper drainage in the station complex, free urinal facilities at the pay-and-use toilet in the circulating area, and display boards stating the reasons for any shutdown of escalators or lifts.Talking to TOI, Bhavesh said, “We have also sought action against stray animals and unauthorised vendors, better regulation of vehicle parking and display of parking charges. The railway officials have been urged to conduct surprise inspections of the station without prior notice or elaborate arrangements.”Bhavesh also said a public participation campaign had been proposed to fill potholes on the platforms on Gandhi Jayanti if the railway authorities failed to act within the stipulated 10-day period.He has requested the railway administration to grant permission for the campaign if corrective measures are not taken before Oct 2.
