Hours after mid-day highlighted risks posed by narrow Dadar platform no. 1, DRM promises quick fix, even as he outlines permanent solution
A GRP cop manages the crowd on platform No. 1 at Dadar railway station, on Thursday. Pic/Ashish Raje
Hours after mid-day published a report on deadly scenes on the island platform of 1 and 2 at Dadar railway station, with GRP barely managing to keep any threat away with just a rope, CR’s Mumbai divisional railway manager (DRM) said it will be extended by two metres. Not just that, the entire station will be revamped, eventually, to accommodate the growing number of commuters. MID-DAY on March 2 highlighted how the Government Railway Police (GRP) has been struggling since 2016 to manage the crowd at platform Nos. 1 and 2.
“Platform No. 1 at Dadar is being widened by 2 metres and there is also a plan to install escalators there. But, this is not all. A comprehensive master plan of the station has been prepared to create more space for passengers. But, the plan requires certain mandatory approvals, and only then can we reveal its details. We will be making presentations to the stakeholders in the next 15 to 20 days after which we are expected to get the mandatory nods,” Mumbai Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) Rajnish Kumar Goyal said.
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A crowd of passengers swells as a train halts at platform No. 1 at Dadar railway station, on Thursday. Pic/Ashish Raje
Goyal said Central Railway had already been planning to widen platform No. 5 at Dadar station in a bid to provide more space to the commuters. The plan was to create a double discharge platform so that passengers can board or alight at both platform No. 4 and platform No. 5. “We then started a study on all aspects that are to be taken care of and found that the foundations of an old and established elevated deck and a foot overbridge are on that platform. But we have now prepared a master plan for the station and improvements shall soon follow,” he added.
Also Read: IN PHOTOS: CR makes rope arrangement to protect passengers at Dadar station
During his first visit to Kalyan and Thane station after taking charge in November 2022, Goyal had said that his first priority was to decongest railway stations. He had asked his team to widen existing platforms and remove stalls so that passengers get more space to walk. For immediate relief to decongest the Thane station, he directed moving 18 pairs of long distance trains to other platforms.
Goyal, divisional railway manager, Mumbai
“At Kalyan, the age-old building on the platform was demolished last month and stalls are being moved to clear more space for the passengers. We will install a shade on it before the monsoon. We have freed and created 750 square metres of space at Kalyan station for circulation of passengers and look forward to implementing it at other stations, too,” Goyal said.
20
No of days in which a revamp plan will be finalised
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