Project taken up at an estimated cost of Rs. 30.42 crore
Mysore/Mysuru: The South Western Railway (SWR) has begun the yard remodelling of Ashokapuram Railway Station to create additional stabling lines so as to overcome the capacity constraints of Mysuru City Railway Station and to augment the berthing capacity.
While Phase 1 of the yard remodelling works will cost Rs. 15.17 crore, Phase 2 will cost Rs. 13.39 crore. Another part of the work will be undertaken at a cost of Rs. 1.86 crore. Overall, the works are being undertaken at an estimated cost of Rs. 30.42 crore. The tentative completion of Phase 1 is February 2023 while Phase 2 is targeted for completion in June 2023, Railway officials told Star of Mysore this morning.
The project was discussed and fast-tracked at the Gati Shakti Unit meeting chaired on Nov. 10 this year by Mysuru-Kodagu MP Pratap Simha in the presence of Divisional Railway Manager Rahul Agarwal and other officers.
The yard remodelling will not only improve operational efficiency but also will enable the introduction of additional long-distance trains and MEMU services from Mysuru.
As part of the ongoing Phase 1 works, the foot-over-bridge will be extended at a cost of Rs. 1.86 crore. Railway officers said that the present foot-over-bridge connects platforms 1, 2 and 3. It will be extended to connect to the new platforms 4 and 5. The new foot-over-bridge will connect the outer areas of Ashokapuram towards Srirampura.
This apart, there will be a couple of additional passenger facilities at Ashokapuram like the provision of three additional platform lines, and the construction of new platforms 4 and 5. The existing platform 1 will be extended by 87.5 mts and platform 2 and 3 by 57.5 mts.
The aim is to be commuter-friendly and the facilities proposed are three additional platform lines, four additional pit lines, four additional stabling lines, and one additional shunting neck and facilities for watering the coaches. These facilities will de-congest the existing entry and ease passenger movement, officials said.
Additional land requirement
Notably, the expansion works hinge on acquiring private land extending up to 300 square metres. The Gati Shakti Unit meeting noted the availability of Government land extending up to 5,000 square metres at Ashokapuram and the MP had assured that Mysuru Deputy Commissioner will be taken to the location for the land sanction.
Meanwhile, the work to create two stabling lines at Belagola Station has been completed. The SWR took up the upgradation of Belagola Railway Station, in the outskirts of the city in Mysuru-Hassan-Arasikere Section.
The Belagola Railway Station had three stabling lines and now, two more have come up taking the total stabling lines to five while the Mysuru City Railway Station has six stabling lines. The estimated cost of the Belagola project is Rs. 15 to Rs. 20 crore.
Preparation for future requirements
Even Mysuru City Railway Station will have 3 additional platforms, 4 stabling lines, 4 pit lines and 1 shunting neck & Naganahalli will have one platform, 1 covered pit line and 1 stabling line.
It may be mentioned here that the Naganahalli Satellite Terminal Project has been shelved as there is a requirement for vast land acquisition of up to 165 acres. Instead, authorities have decided to initiate development works next to the City Railway Station with an estimated cost of Rs. 493 crore after demolishing the Railway Quarters.
These staff quarters stand on a 65-acre land owned by the Railways and over 350 staff quarters beginning near the CFTRI Gate Railway Station entrance from Vani Vilas Water Works (VVWW) on KRS Road till A. Ramanna Circle (Railway Colony) will be demolished after the families are suitably relocated.
The expanded City Railway Station, remodelling of the Ashokapuram Railway Station and the capacity increase at Belagola Station will meet the long-term requirements of Mysuru city for the next few decades.
This post was published on December 14, 2022 6:44 pm