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Major coverup by Pune railway division ahead of GM visit
Commuters are not surprised as this is not the first time such works are being carried out in a hurry just to impress the visiting higher-up, whoever he or she may be.
PUNE: Various works related to repairs, beautification and maintenance are in full swing at Pune railway station’s platform numbers 1 and 2 as part of a major coverup ahead of Central Railway (CR) general manager (GM) Naresh Lalwani’s visit to the Pune railway division scheduled on February 15. However, commuters are not surprised as this is not the first time such works are being carried out in a hurry just to impress the visiting higher-up, whoever he or she may be.
When Hindustan Times visited Pune railway station’s platform number 1 on Monday, it was observed that plastering and colouring of the roof over the platform had been carried out at several spots and passengers seated under these spots were being told to shift elsewhere even during evening peak hours. Only two months ago, the same roof had been coloured and plastered, it was learned. A food vendor at the platform on condition of anonymity said, “We don’t understand why the railway administration is plastering and colouring the same roof again in just a couple of months. The earlier colour was fine and there was no need to spend more money on this work; they could have spent it on other passenger amenities instead.”
This newspaper also observed broken benches being repaired, and walls and foot-overbridges being coloured whereas at platform number 2, flooring tiles were being replaced in a haphazard manner.
Rohan Gunjani, a passenger, said, “I travel regularly from Pune railway station for my work and in the last two years, I have seen the flooring tiles of various platforms being replaced. Now they are replacing those of platform number 2. They keep wasting public money just to impress their top bosses on inspection visits.”
Every time a VIP such as the railway minister or a senior official from the railway board/CR is slated to visit, such works are hurriedly carried out just to impress the concerned official after which it is back to the usual hardships for most passengers.
Meanwhile, Manoj Jhawar, Pune railway division spokesperson, said, “On February 15, the general manager will be visiting the Pune division for inspection and he will be taking the Satara route. While returning, he will visit Pune railway station but we do not have the exact schedule of the inspection yet.”
