Lucknow Junction adopts airport-like measures
LUCKNOW: Covid-19 pandemic seems to have done some good for train passengers, especially those who are boarding from Lucknow Junction (LJN).
Coming under the North Eastern Railway (NER), the ‘Chhoti line’ station has adorned an airport-like look and is ensuring elaborate security and sanitising arrangements for each of its passengers.
It all begins with ‘single entry and exit.’
“The entry and exit have been strictly reduced to one gate each since it is difficult to keep a close watch on people entering and exiting from different entry and exit points at the station. Entry and exit is allowed only through main entrance as of now,” said Monica Agnihotri, divisional railway manager (DRM), NER, Lucknow.
Another startling visible change is that only confirmed ticket holders will be allowed to travel or to enter the station’s premises — as is done at airports.
“Also, passengers have to report at least 90 minutes before the departure of the train as they have to undergo many formalities prior to entry into the station. Like at airports, they are expected to compulsorily carry a photocopy of e-ticket while travelling,” the DRM added.
Travel ban on general ticket has been done for the first time in the history of railways, said officials.
“Passengers willing to travel will have to get their berths reserved since no general tickets are being issued. This has been done to keep the crowd onboard and at the station to bare minimum so that social distancing can be followed,” she added.
Another must at the station is sanitising the hands at the time of entry. For the purpose, the NER has installed a sophisticated automatic hand sanitiser dispenser that will dispense sanitiser every time the hand is placed underneath the machine. After clearing sanitisers, the passengers have to undergo thermal screening, which was initially was being done through thermal scanning cameras but is now being done through normal scanners. “Once thermal screening is done we have made an arrangement of scanning the tickets through cameras. This is also a new thing. We have done this to ensure contactless ticket checking systems,” she added.
A person can board the train only after clearing the scanning. “If a person shows any symptoms of COVID-19 he will not be allowed to travel and the amount of ticket will be refunded on the issue of No Travel Certificate by the Ticket Examiner,” said the DRM. Other prime stations including, Charbagh Railway Station, Kanpur Central Railway Station, Gorakhpur Junction and Varanasi Junction have also introduced several measures to ensure safety of train passengers.