Kottayam: Passengers are facing much hardship in boarding trains from platforms 2 and 3 at Kottayam railway station after the authorities closed the old foot overbridge for demolition. While passengers can enter platform 1 from the main entrance of the railway station, those heading to platforms 2 to 5 have to walk out of the building to a newly-built foot overbridge to cross the tracks.

Earlier, platforms 2 and 3 – where trains towards the Thiruvananthapuram direction stop – were accessible from the main entrance through the old foot overbridge. All the services at Kottayam, except goods trains, arrive and depart from platforms 1, 2 and 3.

The plight of passengers heading to platforms 2 and 3 worsens during the rains as they cannot reach the new foot overbridge from the main entrance without getting wet. This is because the path lies along the road, which gets waterlogged on rainy days due to its dilapidated condition.

Responding to the issue, authorities at Kottayam railway station said that they have suggested the construction of an additional path to the new overbridge from the main entrance along the side of the ticket counter.

Meanwhile, the demolition of the old foot overbridge built in 1956 will start on Saturday. Preliminary works will be carried out till August 31, and the next phase is scheduled till September 13. Entry to the historic old overbridge, which came up in 1956, was banned by the authorities recently.