In a swift move, Western Railway (WR) commuters got their first ever escalator on the eastern side of the Vile Parle station, without much fanfare, on Thursday. The escalator is worth `60 lakh, and is Mumbai’s first escalator in a suburban area following the Central Railway’s escalator at Thane station.
Local MLA Krishna Hegde inaugurated it with his supporters in a low-profile ceremony, which was not attended by any senior railway officials. A senior official, therefore, described it as an unofficial inauguration. “I had asked for an informal inauguration of the escalator from the Railways’ staff at Vile Parle, and it was a good move because people have started using it,” said Shailendra Kumar, DRM of the WR in Mumbai, adding, “As of now, the escalator has been opened on a trial basis, and we may commission it fully after reading the usage pattern of the passengers.” He also stated that the WR has employed two attendants, who are both expected to keep an eye on the commuters and their usage patterns.
Mr Hegde, who was personally following the construction, said, “This would be a positive surprise to lakhs of commuters. I am following a few other passenger-friendly amenities, and this station is going to be a model station for sure.” Vile Parle railway station has approximately 96,200 commuters daily, and total footfalls of between three and four lakh.
Commuters have lauded WR’s efforts. “It’s like a dream come true using this escalator. It is a feel-good gesture,” said Ismail Khan, a resident of Jogeshwari, who travels to Vile Parle
daily. Another commuter said, “This is a good move from WR; they did not take too long to open it.”