Mysuru: Regular commuters between Bengaluru and Mysuru can look forward to more trains to serve them once the long awaited doubling of the railway line between the two cities is completed by the end of April, 12 years after the project began.
But there may not be any significant cut in travel time unless the infrastructural bottlenecks at the Mysuru and Bengaluru terminals are cleared, say South Western Railway officers. With the electrification of the tracks also expected to be completed on the route by the end of April, MEMU trains will begin to run between the two cities and cut travel time by 15 minutes.
But pointing out that the series of sharp curves and gradients between Naganahalli and Mysuru, and Kengeri and Bengaluru take 45 minutes to cover, SWR officers suggest that four more platforms at the two end points could help cut travel time further.
“If three additional platforms and extra maintenance lines are introduced at Kadkola, the congestion at the Mysuru terminal is bound to ease. Similarly, the completion of the work at the Byappanahalli railway terminal will ease congestion at the Bengaluru terminal and in turn reduce travel time,” they explain. Already, with the doubling of the line over 130 kms, the Railways has been able to accommodate double the number of trains on the route and cut travel time by a minimum of 10 minutes and a maximum of 30 minutes. Although with the translocation of the Tipu armoury, doubling will be completed over the remaining stretch of 1.7kms, this will cut travel time by hardly two minutes, according to sources in the Railways.
