Title - Karbigahiya railway building to be opened on Monday

PATNA: East Central Railway (ECR) GM Madhuresh Kumar will inaugurate the renovated Patna Junction building at Karbigahiya end at 4.30pm on Monday. Built at a cost of Rs 1.5 crore, this station building will virtually function as the second exit of Patna Junction like New Delhi's Ajmeri Gate.According to Danapur DRM L M Jha, the GM will also inaugurate washable apron at platform number 8 and newly built platform No. 10 at Karbigahiya end. Besides, the GM will inaugurate a new connectivity provided to platform number 10 from the middle foot overbridge (FOB) of Patna Junction, he said.Railways has also developed a spacious parking at the Karbigahiya end. A new booking office has been set up at this end and each booking counter at Patna Junction will issue platform tickets round the clock.According to Jha, a large number of people living in the southern parts of Patna still prefer to board trains from Karbigahiya end. Besides, passengers are purchasing general tickets from UTS (unreserved ticketing system) counters located at the Karbigahiya end, he said.

Patna Junction has the biggest parking problem during peak hours. However, under the new plan, railways has developed a spacious parking slot at the Karbigahiya end. Autorickshaws and buses, which were illegally parked on the railway premises, have been removed now. Railways intends to make the entry point free from congestion and encroachments, Jha said.

The proposed information technology (IT) centre of ECR and route relay interlocking (RRI) office have already been set up at this end. Railways would regulate traffic movement at the main entrance point of Karbigahiya end during peak hours, Jha said.

"Efforts are on to make available all kinds of facilities to the passengers at this end. RPF personnel have been directed to keep a tab on miscreants and their activities at Karbigahiya end during night. Railways has made arrangements for proper lights at this end in the circulating area," the DRM said.