Bengaluru: This is one railway station for which Bengalureans have been waiting for a long time. Phase I of the world class Baiyappanahalli terminal station which was announced by railway minister Suresh Prabhu earlier this year, is expected to be ready by the end of 2018.
Going by the claims of South Western Railway, the terminal is expected to be ‘better than any airport’ and will be ready without delays. "Three platforms and two pit lines will be ready under Phase-1, along with the necessary passenger amenities. There is no shortage of funds. We conduct internal budgetary reviews, to check on the work progress and see if we need more funds than what was allotted in the pink book," said Chief Public Relations Officer of SWR, Vijaya.
There were concerns raised by railway enthusiasts, when the budget provided only Rs 32 crores instead of the Rs 130 crores promised for this station's development. However, the department believes this is not a deterrent, as all tenders have been finalized and construction is underway.
While only two platforms exist at present, the overall project aims for seven platforms and five pit lines which will be completed in phases.
How will it help Bengaluru? " Every time we ask for better suburban rail services, authorities say the KSR (Majestic) and Yeshwanthpur terminating railway stations are saturated and unable to handle the load. When Baiyappanahalli terminal station becomes ready, trains can end here, decongesting the other two terminals. This could mean increased frequency or addition of suburban rail services," said Krishna Prasad, member of Karnataka Railway Vedike. Prasad believes around 15 trains could be shifted to Baiyappanahalli terminal, making the suburban rail more useful to city people.
