Chatrapur railway station in total disarray

Berhampur: Severe infrastructural failures, dangerous passenger conditions and absence of basic amenities have pushed Chatrapur railway station, the district headquarters station of Ganjam, into a state of acute crisis. The Chatrapur Rail Users’ Welfare Association submitted a memorandum to the DRM, East Coast Railway, Khurda Road, highlighting the crisis.

At the top of the crisis list is the unsafe platform length, posing daily threats to passengers. Platforms 1 & 2 are only 418 metres long, while Express trains extend up to 528 metres, leaving five coaches outside the platform, forcing passengers to jump down or board dangerously. The up and down tracks are separated by a narrow 11-foot distance, with just 5 feet between coaches, a hazardous layout that has already led to accidental falls and casualties.

Another major problem is the closure of essential railway crossings. The historic manned level crossing at 508/5, functioning since 1899, was dismantled in 2020 without any alternative route. Students, office-goers, patients and senior citizens have to undergo daily struggle.

Two other crucial gates, Gate No. 289/3 at Rikkapalli and Gate No. 292/3 at Balibogada, serve about 20 villages but lack a safe, permanent route for vehicles and pedestrians.

Residents say these closures have turned routine travel into a daily ordeal.

Despite being a district headquarters station, Chatrapur lacks even fundamental amenities. No drinking water tap at the entrance. No toilets for passengers.

No shelters on Platforms 1 & 2 or at Court Halt. The Foot Overbridge does not extend to the opposite side, forcing staff and passengers to cross railway tracks unsafely.

Daily commuters to Bhubaneswar and Cuttack suffer from chronic MEMU delays, especially the Palasa–Cuttack MEMU (68446), which reaches behind schedule. Passengers from Khallikote onward do not get seats and travel standing throughout the journey. Association working president Ch Maheswar Rao has demanded additional coaches to ease the burden.

In the absence of a designated vendor coach, traders carry fish baskets, vegetables, and goods inside compartments, creating congestion and hygiene issues.

A demand has been raised for a dedicated Vendor Coach in all MEMU trains.