Thane: Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) officials made the entire 150-meter area of Thane railway station area hawker-free zone so the citizens travelling from here have got relief now.
The TMC commissioner Abhijit Bangar has also instructed that the police, including traffic department, should jointly take responsibility to appoint personnel during morning and evening rush hour in order to discipline the errant rickshaw drivers in the station area to make passengers feel safe, especially women.
Civic chief Bangar held this discussion in a recently held meeting with deputy commissioner of traffic, Vinaykumar Rathod, Deputy Commissioner Ajay Gawde, other officers and TMC staff.
Police to be deputed outside railway station during rush hours
Bangar said, "Due to regular operations of the TMC officials, the area near Thane railway station has become hawker-free zone and this discipline continues." He said that he hopes similar discipline is followed in keeping errant rickshaw drivers in check and make the environment safe for passengers and requested police cooperation.
"Complaints have been received that women and elderly passengers are being inconvenienced due to heavy rush of passengers entering and exiting the railway station, while the rickshaw drivers are seen parking the rickshaw elsewhere and forcing the passengers to go directly to their desired destination. All rickshaw drivers must stand in queue and should not harass the passengers. Police personnel will be stationed in this area from 8 am to 3 pm and 3 pm to 11 pm for the same," he said.
Action against hawkers if seen in railway station premises after 11 pm
He further said that if hawkers are seen in the railway station area after 11 pm then action should be initiated against them.
The Commissioner has directed the electricity department of the TMC to immediately provide electric lights at this place as it is dark under the SATIS Bridge at night in the Thane Railway Station area and he also mentioned that action will be taken in this regard in two days.
