RTI has failed to cite any reasons for closure of the station
The existing railway station in Tannisandra
Bengaluru: Railway Minister Sadanand Gowda’s constituency has been waiting for over 10 years now for the Tannisandra Railway Station to be reopened. In fact an RTI reply has failed to cite any reasons for its closure. At a time when the city is demanding commuter rail and the metro phase 2 work is going to start soon and create a traffic problem, it becomes important to open these small halt stations for the public, say activists.
Anil Agarwal, Divisional Railway Manager of South Western Railway, Bangalore Division says, “Tannisandra was a passenger halt station and had direct broad gauge in 1982. However, the services were stopped since July 1, 2002 for passenger trains. At present there is no proposal to upgrade or to reopen it. Earlier there were two trains but later those trains were shifted to Yesyanthpur as there was no passenger traffic. We cannot stop the mail express trains there now as they stop at Yelahanka station.”
The RTI report made available to Deccan Chronicle reveals that Tannisandra Railway Station, which is 6.4 kms from Yelahanka, is not open for passenger traffic and the reasons for the closure cannot be ascertained as the subject file is not traceable.Sanjeev Dyamannavar, who filed the RTI query, points out, “There was a train service running from Kolar via Chikballapur, Devanahalli, Whitefield up to Bangerpet but suddenly it was stopped. It has been quite some time now but they have not restored it. Why did they discontinue the services?
“Earlier. this area was not under BBMP, but after the area came under the corporation there is a demand for better connectivity to the city.”Today the areas in and around Tannisandra have many residential layouts, educational institutions and IT parks like Manyata. In fact, the traffic is also increasing with each passing day. Sanjeev adds, “In such a scenario we need other modes of communication. The only option for the students and the labour class here is the bus. By train the travel time between Tannisandra and Whitefield is only 15 minutes. The whole section until KR puram is not connected by train. BDA too is developing Arkavathy Layout, and then if the metro comes the traffic will create a problem. Besides, it will take another 8-10 years for the work to get over.”
He added, “On one hand Krishnadevaraya station was inaugurated at South Mysore because of the demand, on the other hand, a station which exists on the map remains nonfunctional and the irony is that the area comes under the railway minister himself. Not that he will have to sanction a new station, just keep the station on active mode.”
Activists also feel funds should not be a problem as they can be raised from different sources and from various IT companies under their CSR activities. It is not the funds that are a hurdle but the attitude of the railway authorities and the minister.
( Source : dc )
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