Unlike other stations on the Harbour line, besides Vashi and some other recently constructed ones, Chembur is relatively better off. With two connected, island-type platforms, the station is as good as unconnected. For, there's just one show piece of a public call office which doesn't work for better part of the year. About six months ago, there were three PCOs. The number has suddenly gone down to one. Two of them have been disconnected by authorities for reasons best known to them.The fringe benefit is an unencroached toilet at the Kurla end. But lack of civic sense prevails and commuters use the tracks instead. For every discordance there's always a reason. "Since the toilet is on the eastern end, those on the western side who want to use the toilet have no choice but to avail the tracks," says an elderly commuter, not realising that the present state of Mumbai can be attributed to these compromises. Not that railways doesn't deserve any reproach for poor planning.
Basic amenities:
In thename of other facilities, Chembur station has three water coolers, two foot overbridges, three canteens, a book stall, 15 fans on the platform and four fans in the ticket counter hall in the east. Also, there are 15 benches for waiting passengers. Though the statistics of amenities provided sounds good, it is not commensurate with the crowd the station caters to. Even the number of beggars on the foot overbridge is high enough to be a cause of concern.
Apart from this, there are indisputable positives that need to be highlighted. The station has two foot overbridges. While one of them is meant for bonafide passengers, the other can be used by those who want to cross the station. However, either of the foot overbridges do not have any indicators. So is the case with the ticket counter hall.
Ticket counters:
There are four card ticket counters and two season ticket counters. On September 10, a reservation counter was introduced at Chembur. It has two booking and one enquiry counter.
Outside,there's an absolute chaos, with hawkers on every inch of land. Commuters have to jump, skip and hop to find their way to the railway station.
Ask Station Master J. T. Nada about the changes he would like to incorporate to improve the state of affairs, he says two more trains starting from Chembur could be introduced in the morning, in addition to the existing two. He agrees that indicators should be fitted at least in the ticket counter hall, so that the commuters know which train is expected on which platform. Nada is also in favour of computerised booking windows.
Important telephone numbers:
City Police: 5153543
GRP Kurla: 5141712
RPF Kurla: 5143097
Chembur station: 5280641
-- YSPhotograph: Ramesh Nair
Copyright © 1999 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
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