বাংলায় পড়ুন
After a prolonged wait, work has commenced to extend the length of platforms one through four at Sealdah Station. It has been reported by railway authorities that this work is being undertaken without disrupting train services.
Last Sunday saw the beginning of this project with the demolition of a section of the old platforms. The work is scheduled to continue until April. According to railway sources, this project is being carried out without affecting train services.
It has been revealed from railway sources that nearly half of the trains running on the North and Main branches of Sealdah are of the 9-car variety. Therefore, it is difficult for passengers to board comfortably, despite the trains running for many years. 1 to 4 platforms at Sealdah are not suitable for accommodating 12-car trains.
To address these issues, platforms 1to 4 at Sealdah Station are being further extended. Due to complications in demolishing parts of the DRM building at Sealdah, this work has been halted. It is now reported that alongside demolishing parts of that building, an additional 10 metres of space will be created near the buffer end of the main Sealdah Station.
It has been learned that initially, there are no concerns about disrupting daily train operations due to the gradual demolition of the buffer end. However, passengers waiting on the bustling platforms are advised to navigate carefully until the construction work is completed.
In the south branch of Sealdah, out of a total of 134 pairs of trains, 132 pairs run in the 12-car configuration, spread across 12 platforms, resulting in comparatively fewer issues. However, in the North branch, out of 186 pairs of Up trains, only 88 pairs, and out of 188 pairs of Down trains, also only 88 pairs utilise the 12 platforms. Consequently, inconveniences are more frequent. During peak office hours, although trains with 12 cars do run, passengers are mainly directed to platforms 5 to 11, which also have operational constraints.
It has been revealed that for this project, upgrades to railway yards and signalling systems will also be necessary. Therefore, railway officials believe that the project timeline might need to be extended.
