BENGALURU: Starting Friday, KSR Bengaluru City railway station will be maintained by the Bengaluru division.
Indian Railway Stations Development Corporation has been maintaining the station since February 2019 and was instrumental in improving cleanliness and launching branded outlets and eateries. IRSDC also started passenger-friendly initiatives at the station like a 12-ft tunnel aquarium, Dawa Dost (store selling generic medicines), fish pedicure facility and gaming zone among others to increase non-fare box revenue.
Earlier, the Bengaluru division was in charge but there were several complaints of poor maintenance. “IRSDC was given a free hand to come up with innovations like gaming zone etc. It also introduced branded food outlets and access control system, apart from regulating parking at the station. IRSDC ensured proper functioning of existing facilities like escalators and digital boards. Now, it’s the responsibility of the Bengaluru division to continue the good work,” said a railway source.
Maintenance concerns
Rail enthusiast Abhishek R said: “This is a serious concern. There was a visible improvement in the station and its amenities after IRSDC took over. Bengaluru division should maintain the same standards and cleanliness benchmarks set by the corporation.” Bengaluru divisional railway manager Shyam Singh was unavailable for comments.
In October 2021, the railway ministry decided to shut IRSDC and handed over all stations to the respective zonal railways. The corporation was supposed to maintain City railway station till March 31, 2022. It had earlier planned to take over other stations —Yeshwantpur, KR Puram and Bangarpet — for maintenance.
Earlier, three railway stations — KSR Bengaluru City, Yeshwantpur and Cantonment — were identified for redevelopment. But there has been no progress. IRSDC had planned a rail arcade at City railway station on the lines of The Quad by BLR, an open-air food and beverage area at the Bengaluru Airport.
Responding to a query raised by Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya, railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said the railways has completed work on Sir M Visvesvaraya terminal. Bangalore Cantonment station has been identified for development under the scheme facilitating major upgrade of stations and the work has been entrusted to South Western Railway.
