Noel Manuel
Dimapur | August 6
The opening of the new computerized Passenger Reservation System (PRS) building below the new flyover is being delayed following encroachment of railway property by illegal occupants, who appear adamant to settle the matter in court.
Constructed at a cost of almost 30 lakhs, the well equipped railway reservation building, completed almost two months back, is being obstructed from opening for the public, due to want of 25.60 metres of land, that is currently occupied by illegal encroachers.
Railway sources say that eviction notices were served on several occasions in the past to the illegal occupants, obstructing the approach road to the new PRS. However, when all notices went unacknowledged, the railway authorities finally arrived on June 6, 2006, to carry out the eviction drive. Fearing the worst, the occupants pleaded for two weeks time to relocate themselves. Considering the plea on humanitarian grounds, the railways agreed in good faith. But instead of relocating, the occupants moved court and procured a stay order on grounds that the land in question, belonged to the state government and not the railways.
The conventional Passenger Reservation System (PRS) has been constructed by the Northern Frontier Railways to facilitate ticket reservations of the growing number of passengers in the region, besides also offering quick, reliable and satisfactory services, particularly to ladies and senior citizens. The new air-conditioned PRS building comprises of six counters, offices for the reservation staff, ticketing superintendent and security personnel, including a huge parking space for vehicles. The existing computerized PRS located within the station premises has just got three counters and passengers are often made to wait in long queues for their tickets. Perhaps, with the opening of the new computerized PRS, passengers could heave a sigh of relief.
And though, encroachment of railway property has been a perennial problem here, railway officials, this time, have expressed optimism with the early opening of the new PRS, after the district administration, the police and DMC, during a recent visit, assured of all possible support.
