“There was a long pending demand for a wider foot overbridge as the existing one proved insufficient to cater to the passengers during peak hours. The proposal will soon be presented to the Railway Board (New Delhi),” said Divisional Railway Manager Ambala H K Jaggi adding they expect the proposal to be sanctioned in the budget for the coming financial year beginning April 2009.

“The new foot overbridge would be at some distance from the existing one. Apart from the platforms, it will also cover the landing and circulation area including the parking. It will also help de-congest the main entrance of the railway station as the passengers will be able to access the platforms more comfortably,” added Jaggi.

The news has brought relief for passengers who had for long been contending with the extreme congestion at the railway station.

“To board a train during peak hours, we have to come at least half an hour in advance or else we would miss the train due to congestion on the bridge,” said a passenger of the Kalka-Delhi Shatabdi train.

The peak hours are normally experienced in two slots: from 7 am to 12 pm in the morning and around 6 pm to 8 pm in the evening. These are the hours when most of the trains arrive and depart from the station including Kalka-New Delhi Shatabdis, Unchahar Express, Paschim Express and Sadbhavna Express.