Howrah is often called Kolkata’s twin. There is however less similarity between the two except chaos, which is way above the standard that Kolkata maintains.
A city is best reflected at places where many people come and go. Howrah Station, rather its chaotic outside, is a prime example of urban decay that the city suffers from. It gives you a window through which to view the larger ills of the state.
Just outside the station the space between the majestic façade of the station building and the other beauty, the Howrah Bridge, is manned by hundreds of people who occupy every conceivable place to earn living. It is difficult to imagine a river ahead because the entire stretch of riverbank is blocked out of view by ugly looking food stalls and other shops.
To the left up to the bridge, buses, cars and taxis stop anywhere to ferry passengers coming to the station and leaving since there is no effective plan to properly accommodate the flow of vehicular traffic.
The approach to the station building is on most occasions choked with squatting vendors who sell all those necessities you might need for traveling. This leaves very little area for passengers to move about without jostling and perhaps wrestling as well.
Inside the station the scene is appreciably better, and it’s here that you realize that the Railways are indeed doing their bit to make life comfortable while traveling.
I haven’t seen much of a change at Howrah Station in many decades, but now there is hope that things will turn better. The central government has made plans to modernize Howrah Station (along with 20 other railway stations all over the country), which will see it going vertical.
What this means is that the space over the railway racks inside the station premises will be used to build hotels, malls, cineplex, and so on. The railways want the proposed transformation as part of public-private partnership (PPP) in which private companies will build the facilities and maintain them for a specified time before handling them back.
The railways say that the 21 station buildings will become world-class by the time the project completes, which is scheduled before 2010 Commonwealth Games at Delhi.
The new-look Howrah Station will have separate departure and arrival halls with elevators running between them to help passengers move from one platform to another. Big food plazas and entertainment centers are other attractions.
If Howrah Station spruces up, can the city be left behind! Which is why the state government has drawn up massive fund-flow as part of center’s initiatives to improve the basic amenities. It remains to be seen how much of all these actually translate into providing better facilities to people.
Here is a video of Rajdhani Express entering Howrah Station taken sometime back.
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