Kumar Rajiv Nayan
Ara : The escalators built on at platform Nos 1 and 2 at Ara railway station in Bhojpur district developed some defect within four days of their inauguration. The officials of the East Central Railway (ECR), Hajipur, claimed that problems would be solved very soon.
Railway Minister Piyush Goyal had inaugurated escalator built at a cost of Rs 60 lakh from New Delhi through remote control at Ara Railway station at platform No 1 on March 1, 2019, and on March 5, 2019, escalator at Platform No 2. Local MP and Minister for State (Independent charge) Power and Renewable Energy, Raj Kumar Singh, and others were present at the Ara railway station on inaugural day. Speaking on the occasion, R K Singh had said that the Narendra Modi government was committed to provide all facilities to the passengers especially the handicapped, aged persons and women. Keeping in mind, the central government built escalators at the Ara railway stations for the convenience of the people, he said.
Soon after inauguration, the escalator developed defect and stopped working and are still the escalators not working properly though the Executive Engineer, Power, at Ara railway station Umesh Kumar denied any defect in the escalator and said that the escalators were closed due to construction of shed and room on at Ara railway station and escalators are switched on for two hours every day for the public.
PRO, Danapur Division, ECR, Sanjay Prasad, admitted that the escalators developed some defects due to overload and stopped working. Passengers, on the other hand, alleged that inferior quality parts were used and the escalators were built with low load capacity and so they developed defects soon after inauguration.