Mysuru: If you are expecting more trains between Mysuru and Bengaluru with the completion of track doubling works, you will be disappointed as the Railway authorities have stated that no more extra trains can be run between the two cities as the Mysuru Railway Station is unable to handle even the present traffic itself.

“The Mysuru Railway Station is already heavily congested and cannot handle the pressure and this cannot be done despite the track doubling works and even after electrification of tracks in the future. This is because the introduction of additional services hinges on the de-congestion of Mysuru station for which the Kadakola station has to be developed as the second terminal. However, the plan is yet to be approved by the Railway Board and fresh efforts are on to get it cleared,” said Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) Atul Gupta.

He was replying to a question raised by Chamaraja MLA Vasu at the 27th Divisional Railway Users Consultative Committee meeting held yesterday.

The DRM said that the Mysuru Junction with six lines did not have the capacity to handle the existing traffic and was saturated. Besides, there is was no scope for any expansion of the yard since the station is surrounded by built up area and no land could be further acquired. The proposed satellite terminal at Kadakola will cost Rs. 263.45 crore.

A proposal has been submitted to headquarters and a high-level committee has been constituted to look into it. With the development of the terminal, Mysuru Division will be able to handle more number of trains, he added.

Gupta laid out the action plan for elimination of manned and unmanned level crossings in the Mysuru Division and said that over 240 level crossings have been eliminated in the last four years.

He noted that the safety record of the Mysuru Division in the last two years was near zero with just a solitary incident involving a goods train. He also added that renewed focus will be on for further improving the cleanliness standards in railway station premises and on trains.

Speaking on financial performance of the division, Gupta said that the overall revenue was Rs. 608.97 crore with originating freight loading being of the order of Rs. 4.815 million tonnes. The number of passengers on originating basis stood at 482 lakh, he added. Committee members spoke about the need for additional amenities such as drinking water facility, better quality approach road, extension of platform shelters, additional seating arrangements, better mechanism for ensuring safety of passengers’ belongings in overnight trains, better food, additional stoppage for trains and introduction of new trains, etc.

P. Ram, Additional Divisional Railway Manager, S.G. Yatish, Senior Divisional Commercial Manager and Secretary, Divisional Railway Users Consultative Committee and other senior Railway officials were present.