Visit to NZM, Jan 20 2009

Went to NZM today morning to attend for AP Express. And the observations are as under.

1) Pf tickets again unavailable. The notice shows that tickets will be unavailable for the duration 6 Jan to 31 Jan. If NR has a plan to not issue the pf tickets throughout the year they can do so with a clear notice in the news paper and having a special arrangement for needy persons. (Ladies, Sr Citizen, Handicapped etc..) In the present scenario, a guy who had to see off his wife for the afternoon Gondwana Exp, came in the morning to have a written permission beforehand to enter the station!!! He came with the ticket of his wife. The station staff refused him!!

2) Empty rake of Bhopal Exp at Pf 4 with WAP7 30214.

3) Golden Temple Mail at Pf2. Led by BRC WAP 4 22280. This train had a very long halt at NZM. It was there before I entered the station and was there till I left with hardly any signs of departure!! This gets a loco change here too??

4) Smart looking Wammie from BSL 21236was incharge of the Mangla Exp bound for ERS. It was to depart from Pf3.

5) JBP/RIG combine Gondwana Exp was at pf 6. This is the first time I saw the RIG bound Gondwana Exp.

6) AP Exp for NDLS came in at Pf 5 with LGD WAP4. It came in at 0930. My father came in this train from NGP. He told me that AP came 15-20 min before time at NGP.

7) ICF rake of NZM-DDN AC Spl was idling in second line from pf 3.

8) CGSK from Durg was announced. Pf 7 was empty for its reception.

Construction activity at Pf1 side were still on. Some glassy shining structure was appearing. Looks like NZM will become a very good looking station once this renovation is over.