Payyanur: Passengers using the Payyanur railway station have no escape from the rain, as the ₹31.2 crore development work under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme is taking place at a snail’s pace. Consequently, all the passengers, including children, and their luggage get drenched while boarding and alighting trains at the station.

Activities to modernise the Payyanur railway station started a year ago, along with other railway stations in the country. However, the work at Payyanur has reached nowhere. At present, the roof over the first platform is narrow, allowing rainwater to drench passengers from both sides. Moreover, the roof leaks at several spots. The roof over the second platform is also leaking, even though it was built as part of the development work. Passengers said that the leaks are so heavy that even umbrellas cannot save them from getting wet during rain.

Yet another difficulty faced by train passengers at Payyanur is the absence of a roof in areas of the platform where construction of a lift and an escalator is taking place.