Hassan: At a meeting of the railway advisory committee held at Arsikere last week, divisional commercial officer Yashodh Kumar gave an assurance that the railway ministry was taking all steps towards providing the passengers with safety and security, as well as basic amenties and facilities.
He said that the Arsikere railway junction was one of the B-grade stations in the state. The proceeds of ticket sales and cargo revenue accounted for annaul turnover of Rs 9 crore. Facilities in the station were being improved on a priority-based programme, he revealed.
Railway development committee member and Lions Club president M Y Khan brought it to his notice that the menace of monkeys in the railway station was alarmingly on the rise. Commuters found their movement and activities to be a matter of great nuisance. In spite of recent reports in the media, no action was being taken by the authorities to redress the issue, he complained.
Kumar said that the railway authorities did take a serious note of the media reports. Teams of experts were being contacted to have the simians relocated to a distant place. They had already made a study of the situation and hoped that the problem would be solved soon.
Rotary Club’s past president pointed out the parking charges being collected by contractors were in excess of the approved fare. Kumar assured that the contractors would be summoned to the next meeting and warned about overcharging.
Kumar appreciated the initiative of the autorickshaw owners and drivers’ association in laying a garden in front of the station at their own expense. Railway officials and prominent citizens were present at the meeting.