Facelift for station, cover-up for its issues

BANGALORE: Railway Stations in the city have always been a scene of hugs, farewells and screams of joy at receiving loved ones. The familiar yet distinct sound of the train engines and the smoke greet visitors. Cantonment is no different. But for a few problems.With an overflowing drain multitudinous times a month and a park that has been left in a deplorable state, the station is rife with hassles that seem to have no end.Plagued with a drain:The drain under the Jayamahal underpass is overflowing once again. With water surging onto the roads and making life a nightmare for pedestrians and commuters alike, they ask why in spite of new pipes and several inspections by ministers, the condition remains unaltered. Chinnappa, a motorist, asserted, “And so the problem strikes again. It has become such a regular phenomenon in our lives that it’s a routine for us to make our way through the stench and the dirty sewage water that pours onto the roads.”Giving park a new meaningMost of the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) parks in the city are green and have colourful swings in the play area. But the park near the station begs to differ. Due to its condition it hardly receives any visitors. The children’s play equipment either lays discarded on the earth or are broken. The walking path bears the scene of having just witnessed an earthquake. Added to which, the park has no greenery to speak of. At a location in the park, residential waste has been discarded haphazardly. Weeds removed lay unattended to. Amidst the clutter and the chaos, one cannot visualise tiny tots making merry. Ganappa, a passenger, said, “My train is not scheduled for arrival for another three hours. So I thought I might go and take a walk in the park. But the neglect of the park has left me disappointed. It is not maintained at all.”Paint it clearThe station is receiving a new coat of paint at the entrance  depicting journeys, trains and luggage. Passengers in the station say that it is bright, welcoming and vibrant. Ashi, a visitor, said, “It is nice to see this. The paintings literally welcome one to the station. The pictures are well painted and draw your attention to it.” With only one side having been painted, visitors are eager for the work to finish and to see the station in its new avatar.Meanwhile, Biswas, the spokesperson for Bangalore Railways, was unavailable for comments.