Escalators stopped hours after launch at rly station

The Railways withdrew services of escalators at the City railway station within hours of launching them, after two senior citizens fell down while using them. Two persons aged around 75 and 80, sustained minor injuries after they fell down, as they could not balance themselves half way through, said a police officer.

The police rushed to the spot and administered the first aid. The victims said they were not used to the facility. Moreover, they were facing some health problems and hence could not balance themselves, the officer said.

The railway officials decided to withdraw the services as large number of passengers attempted to use the escalators. “The situation changed suddenly after two passengers fell down. The service was withdrawn considering safety,” added the officials. 

Three personnel attached to the Railway Protection Force ( RPF) and the GRP (Government Railway Police) will be deployed near the escalators to help the passengers as and when required, Railway Superintendent of Police S N Siddaramappa said.
 However, Divisional Railway Manager, Bangalore, Anil Kumar Agarwal told Deccan Herald that it is not possible to deploy the RPF and GRP men regularly.

The proposal to install the escalators was made in the Railway budget in 2009. Four were sanctioned at a cost of Rs three crore of which three were commissioned on Saturday by Union Railways Minister Mallikarjun Kharge. Each escalator has the capacity to carry 150 passengers a minute. The newly inaugurated escalators (two) are located next to stairs near platform one and five. 

Agarwal said: “The fourth escalator at platform 4 will be commissioned in the first week of March this year. There is also a proposal to install four escalators at Yeshwantpur Railway Station.”