Gaya: The manner in which the platforms have been numbered at Gaya railway station has baffled rail users, particularly occasional travellers, even as a Rs300 crore renovation project is underway to give it an airport-like look.Take this: There are four platforms having number 1. These platforms are 1, 1A, 1B and 1C. Whereas platform number 1 is there for ages, the rest three are post renovation creations. Old platform number 6 is now 1A.The previously unnumbered ‘pilgrim platform’ is now 1C. A new platform is now numbered 1B. Rail users alleged that this numbering is irrational. The multiplicity of ‘1s’ is simply unexplainable, they added.Interestingly, prestigious trains like Gaya-Howrah Vande Bharat Express are generally allotted platform number 1C, which was earlier meant for pilgrims and had attached facilities like cooking and other chores for the pilgrims. The self cooking space is now not available on the new platforms.Conceding that the numbering of platforms was confusing, particularly for pilgrims who make once in a lifetime visit, Kaushalendra Pratap, member of the ECR Zonal Rail Users Committee said he will raise the issue at the next meet of the committee.According to a railway official, preferring anonymity, once a number is allotted to a particular platform, changing it is not that easy as it has technical and administrative consequences. It may also need alteration of the signalling system and track related operational issues.Explaining the numbering of the platforms in Gaya, the official said the platforms were not made in one go. Need-based addition or expansion has been made as per requirements of the time and availability of land and other infrastructural issues, said the official.In the meanwhile non-availability of direct trains for places like Bengaluru and Pune and the limited option for travellers on the Gaya-Mumbai route continues to trouble Grand Chord passengers.
