In a big push to rail infrastructure in Mysuru, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on June 20 will lay the foundation for projects worth nearly ₹488 crores to cater to the future requirements of the city.
Mr. Modi will be in Mysuru for two days from June 20 to take part in a slew of programmes apart from leading the main event of the International Day of Yoga to be held at the palace premises on June 21.
The long-pending expansion and remodeling of the Mysuru station will be taken up at a cost of ₹395.73 crore and will entail construction of three additional platforms. Similarly, yard remodeling will be taken up at Naganahalli at a cost of ₹92.07 crore
The project is expected to cater to the needs of Mysuru for the next three to four decades and ease the traffic bottleneck and congestion paving way for operating additional trains.
Sharing the details of the various railway projects under the Mysuru Railway Division Mr. Pratap Simha, MP, said on June 18 that Mysuru railway station will also get a third entry point in addition to the existing two entry/exit points. The station will retain its heritage façade and ambience but there will be modern facilities for the benefit of the passengers, he said.
The yard remodeling and expansion of the Mysuru Railway station will entail demolition of the existing apartments at the railway colony which are already in a dilapidated condition. They were constructed more than 60 years ago and are unfit for future habitation.
Hence the authorities conceived the idea of reclaiming 65 acres of railway land by demolishing the colony and expand the station by adding three new platforms, four additional pit lines for rake maintenance, four stabling lines and one additional shunting neck. New railway quarters will be constructed to accommodate the existing employees, said Mr. Simha.
The original proposal was to have a new terminal for Mysuru at Naganahalli on the outskirts of the city at a cost of over ₹789 crore. But the project required 165 acres and the State Government was disinclined to acquire the land and took the position that it will only facilitate the acquisition and was silent on funding the acquisition cost.
As the project failed to take off, the railway authorities conceived the idea of reclaiming its own land at the railway colony which will not only be time saving but more cost effective.
However, the Naganahalli yard remodeling will not be completely abandoned and apart from a new platform, the railways will have a MEMU shed to facilitate the launch of suburban services for daily commuters. Mr. Rahul Agarwal, Divisional Railway Manager, Mr. Ravichandra, Senior Divisional Engineer (Coordination), Manjunath Kanamadi, Senior Divisional Commercial Manager were present.
