Bengaluru: It has been over 10 years that citizens in and around Kengeri and railway experts have been demanding train connections to Bengaluru city and Whitefield. While its supporters are hopeful that the plan will finally materialize in 2015, nothing much has happened at the site.
Speaking with Deccan Chronicle about the proposal, former member of Zonal Railway User’s Consultative Committee, Southern & South Western Railway, Prakash Mandoth says, “We have been requesting the railways since 2004 to provide at least three direct trains starting from Kengeri. We had also prepared the time-table along with the total network to be covered.
One train could be in morning, another in afternoon and a third in the evening. One train could travel from Kengeri to Bangalore city and then reach Whitefield. Another train could go via Hebbal so that we could get connections to all the places.”
He further added, “I have written to the member of the traffic, railway board as well. The GM has been positive and he said he would explore the proposal.
It should happen soon. With a small adjustment in the time-table this proposal could be worked out and it would be a blessing for many IT professionals.”
When Deccan Chronicle brought the issue to DRM Anil Kumar Agarwal he said, “We have not received any direction to focus on anything like this. Besides, at present this proposal does not look feasible.”
Currently, there is a huge public demand for connecting various destinations, especially suburban areas, through the rail network considering the ever increasing traffic chaos.
There is also a demand from the citizens to provide three additional trains from Tumkur. Mandoth adds, “Tumkur is now turning into a smart city, hence we need more connectivity through DEMU trains to that area.”
Besides, soon, doubling work in Yeshwantpur to Banaswadi will be over, this can facilitate MEMU trains across the city. “This line is not charged yet, once doubling work is over, the rail authorities can introduce electric trains and then we can have a good MEMU train service”
