Change is the only constant, they say. But there's a lot to be said about our penchant for wasting precious man-hours and public money on changing names of infrastructure
Change is the only constant, they say. But there's a lot to be said about our penchant for wasting precious man-hours and public money on changing names of infrastructure. Recently, the Central Railway (CR) added "Maharaj" to the title of one of the most historic landmarks in the city to make it the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus.
In another change, Elphinstone station will be known as Prabhadevi from July 23. Other stations awaiting name changes are Grant Road, Sandhurst Road, Charni Road, Reay Road, Marine Lines and Dadar. Historians will do well to take pictures of the boards with the old names of these stations as those will disappear soon.
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While our leaders waste time on such cosmetic changes, city commuters battle the lack of adequate amenities or upgraded infrastructure at the very same station.
The authorities should peek into washrooms at various stations to get an idea about the dearth of basic hygiene. Cleanliness of snack stalls must also be reviewed. Check if spurious products are being sold, especially bottled water, and increase the number of trash cans on platforms. Segregating wet and dry waste may prove to be useful.
Broken hand railings, especially near the entry and exit points, need to be repaired. Besides CST (or is it "CSMT" now?), many other stations have damaged stairs and railings.
Hundreds of people would have benefited if the authorities took some concrete steps to make platforms more accessible for the differently abled. Why not spend time pondering upon upgrading facilities to make lives simpler for commuters? But who cares for development. Powers that be would rather focus on renaming iconic structures and brush all the inconvenience the masses face on a regular basis under the blanket of patriotism.
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