Nerul station commuters face chaos as hawkers and beggars dominate platforms

Once envisioned as a model railway station Nerul on the Harbour Line has turned into a filthy lawless zone mdash overrun by hawkers beggars and shady elements while authorities look the other way Commuters say the station has become a ldquoNo Rule Zonerdquo a nickname locals now use with frustration and disgustAt the Jui Nagar end of the platforms beggars and hawkers have set up semipermanent camps turning the area into an open garbage dump The spot coincides with the ladiesrsquo coachs halting point making daily travel an ordeal ldquoWhen these people enter the compartment the stench is unbearablerdquo said a woman commuter ldquoThe platforms are filthy and RPF or GRP never botherrdquoBeggars haunt the area outside Nerul railway station right commuters cross the tracks to change platformsDespite CCTV cameras on all platforms hawkers and beggars roam freely selling goods in full public view There are no cameras near staircases no signage and not a single subway mdash making Nerul the only station between Vashi and Khandeshwar without one Commuters are forced to climb steep staircases with no escalators or lifts even though the Navi Mumbai International Airport is now operational and passengers often carry heavy luggageAll stations on the TransHarbour line from Digha Gaon to Jui Nagar have subways mdash except Nerul The situation is further aggravated by the lack of direct train connectivity on the newly developed Uran line Although signalling for UranThane UranCSMT and UranGoregaon routes has been installed Central Railway has yet to commence services Passengers travelling from Uran to the western suburbs must alight at Nerul and change trains mdash an exhausting exercise especially with luggage ldquoWith the airport now functional direct trains are the need of the hourrdquo said one commuterLiquor shop inside stationThe west side of the station presents an even darker picture A liquor shop operates within the railway premises allegedly with CIDCOrsquos permission mdash a move that has angered residents Around it beggars sleep and hawkers store goods ldquoWhen I started taking photos a CIDCO security guard hurriedly chased away the beggars and hawkersrdquo this correspondent observedVagrants squat and rest on the platformAdvocate Chandrakant Nikam a longtime resident said ldquoWe have written several letters to CIDCO The wine shop has existed since the day the station opened No one has taken action The authorities donrsquot care mdash itrsquos commuters who suffer every dayrdquo Resident Vijay Ghate added ldquoNERUL means No Rule Toilets for commuters are outside the station while a wine shop sits comfortably inside the complex That sums up the priorities hererdquoInaugurated in August 1993 the CIDCObuilt station has still not been handed over to Central Railway resulting in a constant blame game between the two authorities The single drinkingwater cooler near the eastside ticket counter is reportedly used mostly by hawkers The public toilet on the west side commuters allege has become a drugdelivery point after darkAdding to commutersrsquo frustration is the lack of a functioning police contact system The GRP office near Platform No 1 displays a landline number mdash but it has remained out of service for months residents claim With most landlines nonfunctional passengers must personally approach the station managerrsquos office RPF or GRP desk for help Even helpline numbers rarely connect immediately leaving commuters stranded during emergenciesAfter 10 pm locals say the station transforms into a hotspot for liquor and drug sales ldquoCIDCO teams show up only between 11 am and 5 pm long after the real action hours The illegal vendors know exactly when to vanishrdquo said a local shopkeeper adding that genuine traders face harassment while lawbreakers flourishOther woesDuring the monsoon leaking roofs make platforms slippery and unsafe The cramped parking area is chaotic with vehicles dumped haphazardly Residents allege that even land meant for a transport hub has been sold to a builder where a highrise is now under constructionWhen contacted Deepak Singh assistant executive engineer AEE CIDCO acknowledged the problems and said eviction drives are regularly held but are not a permanent solution ldquoWe have repeatedly told our security personnel to remove beggars and hawkers We chase them away but they return soon afterrdquo Singh saidldquoRegarding the wine shop permission was not issued by our maintenance wing but reportedly by CIDCOrsquos Estate Section many years ago It is an old establishment and mdash as per records mdash legally operatingrdquo he added ldquoWe have already spoken to the Maharashtra Police CIDCO will provide a police chowkie near the garden so that police can control addicts and those who create trouble especially at nightrdquo Singh said He further stated that CIDCO is coordinating with the RPF and local police and that maintenance teams conduct day inspections and eviction drives as required