Escalators in 100 railway stations soon

Passengers struggling with heavy luggage and senior citizens trying to make their way in the maze of crowded railway stations can now breathe easy as the Railways have decided to install 100 escalators in major stations.

"The Railway Board has sanctioned as many as 100 escalators and they will be installed in 'A' category stations," a senior railway official told PTI.

The idea is to provide relief to elderly and ensure faster movement of passengers with luggage and decongest the station, he said. The facility would also come as a boon to the disabled.

Operating escalators in railway stations was discussed during the last Railways budget.

The move comes at a time when dwindling strength of porters at stations - after thousands were promoted as gangmen - has left the passengers and senior citizens with no choice but to carry the luggage themselves.

The handful of porters seen in station like New Delhi, Mumbai or Howrah are making a killing charging exorbitantly. 

The decision would also benefit stations that were not to be transformed into 'modern world class stations.' The Railways are also contemplating to provide luggage trolleys to passengers, but the plan is yet to be finalised.

At present, few stations like New Delhi, Mumbai and Vijayawada have escalator facility.

Meanwhile, some zones have approached the Railways to install lifts for the convenience of passengers. At present, Delhi Metro is the only transport network having facilities of both escalators and lifts.