20 September,2016 07:30 PM IST | | Shashank Rao
After clearing encroachers near elevated deck at Andheri station, WR plans to use elevated deck to set-up ATM machines and food plaza
The elevated deck directly connects the foot overbridges at Andheri (East) station to the main road. Pic/Nimesh Dave
A so-called engineering marvel, constructed by the Western Railway, to allow for seamless movement of autorickshaws and commuters at the Andheri East station, has done nothing, but burnt a R10 crore-hole in the Railways' pocket.
The elevated deck, which directly connects the foot overbridges to the main road, was built in 2013 to enable commuters to flag autorickshaws right after alighting from trains. However, with the spot being used for everything else, except for the purpose it was meant for, WR authorities are now busy looking for alternatives to salvage the project.
After clearing illegal vendors and shops that had stationed themselves near the deck, the WR is now planning to set-up ATM machines, build a food plaza and arrange for a two-wheeler parking lot at the same spot.
"We will be setting up ATM machines and ticket booking office on this elevated auto deck," confirmed R Bhakar, Chief PRO, Western Railway. Senior railway officials also said that there are plans to set up a food plaza on this elevated portion, which is being looked into by the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC).
The fact that R10 crore, which was spent on the project, has been flushed down the drain is not lost on the Railways. "The deck has become a nightmare for us as far as its utilisation is concerned. We are fighting against encroachers namely the vendors and hawkers," said a WR official.
However, even as plans for parking of two-wheelers is being considered, the Railway Protection Force had mentioned their apprehensions about the parked vehicles being used by terror elements.
Work on the autorickshaw deck first started in 2011, and the project was finally completed in December 2013.
