200-year-old Santahar railway station limping for lack of modern facilities

BOGURA, Oct 28: Thousands of train passengers at Santahar railway station and junction under Adamdighi upazila have been suffering much due to lack of common facilities and bad shape of the station.

The authority concerned is making over Tk 1300 millions every year from the station as revenue but the passenger service is yet to improve.

Water crisis is a chronic problem in the station. Moreover, the tin roofs on the platforms have become worn out. As a result, passengers have to suffer during rain and summer.

Thousands of people travel to and from various districts including Naogaon, Bogura and Joypurhat daily through this largest station of the Western Railway.

Only a tubewell on platform 01 and 02 was set up a decade ago but now it is inoperative now. Apart from this, there are five water taps in the platforms but very often no water comes out of the taps.

Jahirul Islam, a passenger said, "Due to dilapidated condition of the tin roofs on the platforms, during a small shower it becomes difficult for the passengers to stay at the station."

According to station officials, a total of 39 trains pass through this station daily.

During a visit to the station on Sunday, this correspondent found that though it is an important railway junction, modern facilities are total absent there. The 200-year-old infrastructure built during the British period is in a dilapidated condition.

Besides, the development of the station and quality of passenger service did not increase at all though it is the largest junction railway station in North Bengal.

Passengers are being deprived of the facilities of the waiting rooms for lack of necessary maintenance and adequate manpower. Only a caretaker is serving in the first class, second class and third class waiting rooms out of six posts in the station.

Station Master Rezaul Karim Dalim said it is a traditional first class junction station.  Posting of a superintendent at this station is necessary and travellers will receive instant service if the manpower crisis is resolved, he added.

Written request has been made to General Manager Khairul Alam and Chief Engineer West, Rajshahi Zone, Ramadan Ali for extending the tin shed to the entire platform, he further said.

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