The Railways has responded to reports of non-functional facilities at the newly refurbished Jalandhar Cantt railway station, saying the inconvenience was caused by restoration work following a recent inauguration event.
Passengers had reported several amenities not working at the station. The Railways explained that the issues were temporary and linked to the event's aftermath.
Why amenities were closed at Jalandhar Cantt station
According to The Tribune, Sanjeev Kumar, Divisional Railway Manager of the Ferozepur division, said the inaugural event by Prime Minister Narendra Modi concluded around 7:30 pm on Friday. Around 5,000 people attended the ceremony.
To facilitate the programme, the event management agency installed temporary infrastructure including digisets, LED screens, wiring, and benches on the station premises.
Escalators and lifts kept closed for safety
Kumar stated that escalators and lifts were deliberately kept closed to prevent damage while these arrangements were being made. "Escalators and lifts were kept closed to prevent damage while carrying out these arrangements," he said, as reported by The Tribune.
The cleaning and restoration work was underway after the event, which caused the temporary inconvenience for passengers.
Our Take: Communication gap caused confusion
In our view, the Railways' explanation is reasonable. Large events require temporary setups that can disrupt normal operations. However, the lack of advance communication to passengers about the temporary closures created unnecessary confusion and frustration. A simple notice at the station or on social media explaining the situation would have prevented the negative reports. The Railways should consider better public communication during such events to manage expectations.
