Outsiders ‘park’, insiders ‘pay’ the price
| Date :15-May-2019 |
HOUSEFULL: Though it is Sunday, mezzanine floor at parking plaza of SECR is brimming with two wheelers indicating the menace of unauthorised parking.
By Sagar Mohod:
DRM office witnesses haphazard parking
Unauthorised parking at DRM office campus off Kingsway has peeved off the railway employees. Outsiders have sort of staked claim to Railway premises thanks to the ‘who cares’ attitude of South East Central Railway (SECR) officials. On Tuesday only, Mahesh Bansode, Senior Inspector, Sadar police station, visited DRM office campus and inspected the premises and suggested installation of CCTVs to better the security. Although a wide open space is available, it gets gobbled up as outsiders are having free run inside the campus housing sensitive installations.
Shrinked Carraigeway: Four wheelers and two wheelers parked in no parking zone reducing the Carraigeway on way to Divisional Railway Hospital The police officer also sensitised security guards and also asked Railways to streamline parking in the vast campus. Advise by police should ring bells in the Railway Administration and ensure that DRM office premises is secured properly. Central Railway authorities need to be admired as they have taken steps to streamline and ensure no outsiders’ vehicles get parked in the area under their control. In contrast, is the situation at neighbouring South East Central Railway (SECR) whose bosses are yet to acknowledge that employees face problem in parking their vehicles. Problem starts right from entrance to DRM office campus that is with SECR.
The parking by the entry gate can be seen almost full even when the railway offices are yet to start. Nearly, 70 to 80 two-wheelers are daily seen parked in this premises occupied by Railway Employees Consumer Society and nobody knows to whom those vehicles belong to. This visitors’ parking is for ex-employees and civilians visiting railway offices for their official work. Some time back SECR officials decided to go for multistoreyed parking plaza to ease vehicle parking problem.
A three-storeyed complex was built right next of DRM, SECR, building. It was to have nearly 5 parking bays catering to almost 1,000 two-wheelers. However, during the construction stage the drawing and plans underwent change and the building came to be later occupied by Chief Engineer (Construction), thereby short circuiting parking plaza plan. Now, only basement and mezzanine floor are available for two-wheelers parking and here too outsiders are having free run due to hand off approach of SECR officials. Unlike pro-active action initiated by Railway Protection Force (RPF) in Central Railway premises, SECR’s RPF unit is not showing any interest in tackling the problem that continues to grow every passing day. Owing to shortage of space, employee park their vehicles by roadside reducing the carriage way that creates problems for others.
The campus also houses Divisional Railway Hospital and a straight road is laid right from entry till the premises. However, throughout the day the portion under SECR is occupied by illegally parked vehicles. Despite no parking boards, four wheelers are parked on the street and it could someday spell trouble in case of rushing of emergency patient to hospital. Two-wheelers are also parked in good numbers inside the compound of SECR and nobody has taken note off. CR officials however got into act after they were affected by wayward parking at open space at DRM office. Private security guards are deployed to prevent unauthorised entry and to employees parking stickers were issued and areas are designated department wise. All this has ensured hassle free entry and exit at CR premises. In past vehicles stolen from city were noticed to have been parked in the open campus at DRM office. Given the heightened security and Nagpur figuring in list of possible targets, security establishment of Railways need to act jointly and sanitize the campus that lies adjoining Nagpur Railway Station.