With the Global Investors Summit fast approaching, The Pioneer caught up with passengers at Bhopal's main railway stations to seek their opinions on the services and amenities being offered to then.
Nitesh Markam, a Chhindwara resident who studies in the city, said, "Compared to earlier, cleanliness at Bhopal Junction Railway Station has improved. Tickets are easily available at the counter, and the station appears less crowded today."
Mahendra Gupta, who was at the station to see off his family, said, "The distance between the parking area and the platform is quite significant, increasing the chances of missing the train. If a person has heavy luggage, it becomes a major inconvenience to reach the platform."
A pensioner who came to Bhopal to participate in a pension-related protest, Ashok Mishra from Ujjain, said, "The station lacks cleanliness, and there is no proper system to inform passengers about available facilities. The railway department should consider the needs of elderly passengers."
A city resident who came to receive his children, Rajkumar Rai, said, "Although water taps are installed at the station, they are not cleaned regularly. Red stains from chewing tobacco can be seen everywhere, making it unpleasant."
A teacher waiting for her train at Platform 6 of the old railway station, Swati, said, "There are inadequate seating arrangements at the station. At the very least, there should be enough chairs and benches so that people can sit comfortably while waiting for their trains."
College students Pinky Yadav and Tanu Ahirwar said, "Installation of more charging points is important, especially for the safety of women passengers travelling alone."
They lamented that most charging points at the station were not functioning.
An engineer who came to see off his grandmother on a Delhi-bound train, Amit Mathenkar, said, "Ticket and platform ticket inspections happen only once or twice a year, leading to huge revenue losses for the railway. Instead of increasing ticket prices and taxes, the government should focus on penalising those travelling without tickets."
At Rani Kamlapati Railway Station, Rajat Jha said, "This station looks just like an airport. Other railway stations in the country should be developed in a similar way."
While travelling to Mathura with his family, Krishna Kant Yadav said, "There is no other railway station in the state as good as Rani Kamlapati. The food and beverages are slightly expensive, but the overall facilities are excellent."
Yadav's wife, Meena, added, "The station is well-maintained, and all arrangements are satisfactory. The quality of seating and resting areas here should be made available at all railway stations." While purchasing a ticket at the station, Gunjan said, "The QR code system introduced by the railway department has solved the problem of carrying loose change while buying tickets. Digitalisation is a great initiative."