The Ashokapuram railway station expanded at a cost of nearly ₹30 crore is set for inauguration during Dasara besides making it the starting point for all MEMU trains plying between Mysuru and Bengaluru.
This was stated by Mysuru MP Pratap Simha after reviewing the progress of railway projects at the Gati Shakti unit meeting here on Wednesday.
The MP said that the new facilities are ready and they intend to have the inauguration during Dasara when the tourist and passenger traffic to the city will also be high.
The expanded Ashokapuram station has a second entry point from Jayanagar side apart from two additional platforms and two pit lines for rake maintenance and cleaning. The railway officials were also apprised of the increase in public complaint about the inordinate delay of trains in reaching Bengaluru though they are dubbed as superfast or express.
The staff from the operations section said there were repairs and track maintenance works in the Bengaluru section which was delaying the trains and claimed that the punctuality otherwise was above 95%.
Mr. Simha sought the feasibility of increasing the speed of some of the popular trains plying on the section including the Golgumbaz Express and the Kacheguda Express and said ideally all trains on the section should be able to complete the journey in less than 2.30 hours. It was also pointed out in the meeting that speed of some of the trains had been slowed down on the Mysuru-Bengaluru section and this included the Swarna Jayanti Express to Hazrat Nizamuddin.
With respect to land acquisition for expansion of Naganahalli station and creation of MEMU sheds the officials said that farmers were seeking a higher rate against what was being offered and the MP directed them not to budge to such pressure tactics of the land owners. ‘’They have been offered compensation which is four times the market rate’’, he added.
On the expansion of the Mysuru station for which Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation in June 2022, Mr. Simha said that tenders were being processed and 11 bidders are being evaluated for financial and technical parameters. Once the tender is allotted work will commence by the end of December, he added.
The station expansion and redevelopment will take place at a cost of ₹356 crore and entails construction of 3 new platforms and 4 pit lines. In the course of the meeting Mr. Simha told the railway official to conceive a modern design for the new terminal which is also futuristic. ‘’We don’t want the heritage-style façade anymore and people are tired of it,” he said and suggested the Byappanahalli station façade as an example for modernity. New facilities for Chamarajanagar station and capacity expansion in the long-term interest of the region was also discussed.
Senior officials from the Mysuru division of the South Western Railways were present.
