The slow pace of the redevelopment work of Bhawanipatna Railway Station, which is part of the Central Government’s Amrit Bharat Station Scheme, has raised concerns among the common people and railway passengers. The project, which was started at a cost of about Rs 21 crore, has been completed in two years, but it is alleged that 50 percent of the work has not been completed yet.
According to reports, the construction work is being carried out by Gautam Construction Group in Dhanbad. However, the pace of work has been very slow as only five workers have been deployed for the entire project. It has been alleged that the construction work of the railway station has not been progressing as the contractor who was taking charge of the work locally is busy with other projects.
Although the work, which was stopped for a few days, has resumed after repeated complaints, there is a general doubt as to when the construction work, which is being carried out with the help of only five workers, will be completed. It is reported that the delay is likely to cost about Rs 3 crore more than the initial cost estimate.
While the Amrit Bharat Yojana has targeted the modernization of 508 railway stations in the country, Bhawanipatna was also among the 25 stations in Odisha. However, due to the laxity in the construction work, passengers using railway services every day are facing various problems. The situation has become more difficult for senior citizens, women, and differently-abled passengers in particular.
On the other hand, although the tender process for the construction of the second platform of the railway station has been completed, the work has not started yet. Since more than half of the work is left despite the completion of the construction period, there is a strong demand from the public for the railway department to intervene immediately and speed up the work.
This important project has been delayed today due to complaints from the local people, the indifferent attitude of the railway authorities, and the negligence of the contractor. Therefore, there is a demand for a high-level investigation into the progress of the project and necessary action against the responsible officials and organizations.
