‘Only name change will not help, pay attention to facilities’
200 trains run daily; average footfall 22,000 pax; monthly revenue `25 lakh
Kings Circle railway station, once applauded for its cleanliness by Prime Minister Narendra Modi (Man ki Bat programme in 2014-2015), now faces criticism over its average cleanliness condition. A recent visit by Free Press Journal (FPJ) during a station audit campaign revealed concerns regarding cleanliness, security, and infrastructure maintenance. The state government has approved the proposal of renaming of Kings Circle station to Tirthankara Parshvanath recently. However, according to passengers, only a name change will not help.
With approximately 200 trains passing through daily and an average footfall of 22,000 passengers, the station remains one of the vital links in the city’s transport network, generating an average monthly passenger revenue of Rs25 lakh
During the inspection on May 14, FPJ observed garbage accumulation at multiple locations on the platforms, indicating lapses in the station’s cleanliness regimen. Additionally, the condition of the pathway connecting both platforms was found to be substandard, with uneven surfaces posing challenges, particularly during the monsoon season. Despite the provision of drinking water facilities on both platforms, the presence of adjacent slums, especially near platform two – towards Mahim – poses a direct security threat commuters. These multi-storey slum settlements afford easy visibility of platform activities, potentially enabling antisocial elements to monitor passenger movements. The dissatisfaction among commuters is palpable, with frequent traveller Janki Das, 52, a frequent commuter, highlighting the glaring issue of unaddressed garbage on the platforms.