Preparations have been completed for the visit of the north eastern railway general manager Rajiv Mishra, who is slated to arrive on March 3. In the course of his annual inspection, the senior official will be inspecting the ongoing works costing about `8 crore at lalkuan railway station. According to official sources, Mishra is slated to arrive at Kathgodam by special train from Gorakhpur. He will inspect the Kathgodam railway station for about 45 minutes after which he will inspect the construction work ongoing at lalkuan railway station.
It is pertinent to mention that the railway is working at a brisk pace to ensure timely completion of the expansion work at lalkuan railway station. The construction of 36-room coach care unit is in its final stage with the 450-metre pit line along side being fully prepared with space being kept besides this for preparing one more pit line. Two 150-metre sick-lines have also been constructed along with 35-metre wheel line along with one line for the accident relief train apart from which 686-metre shunting neck towards Rampur siding and a 300-metre stabling line.
The coach care centre under construction is a double-storied building with 18 rooms at each level. All the required facilities will be made available at one place with washing employee, electrical staff along with the in-charge and supervisor facilitating the same. Work is being executed at a swift pace for construction of 550-metre platform number five which is reported to be nearing completion. With construction of the new platform, the old foot over-bridge and parking space are also being expanded. Work is also slated to start soon for opening a VIP gate near Bindra weighbridge. Another foot over-bridge is also slated to be constructed from the new parking space near the Sumitranandan Pant library here.
It is pertinent to mention here that due to non-availability of adequate space at Haldwani and Kathgodam, the railway is focusing on the work at lalkuan railway station with work on to meet the deadline for fully preparing the pit-line to enable operation of long distance trains here.
