Remodelled Ashokapuram Station, additional works at Belagola and Inland Container Depot at Kadakola

Mysore/Mysuru: Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw will be invited to inaugurate the revamped Ashokapuram Railway Station, the Inland Container Depot at Kadakola constructed by the Container Corporation of India Ltd (CONCOR) and the completed development works at Belagola Railway Station, where two additional pit lines have been constructed.

This announcement was made by Mysuru-Kodagu MP Pratap Simha during the ‘Gati Shakthi’ meeting of Railway Officers at Jaladarshini Guest House here yesterday. “We will discuss the inauguration with the Railway Ministry and a virtual inauguration too is being contemplated in case the Minister is unable to come to Mysuru. The date will be finalised for their inauguration after consultations,” the MP said.

Simha also shared updates on the ongoing development at Mysore Railway Station, which has been allocated a budget of Rs. 356 crore for yard remodelling and expansion. The station works are currently in the tendering process. The MP noted that the work is in progress, with tender openings scheduled for Sept. 13. The foundation for this project was laid by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in June 2022.

Furthermore, there is a proposal to convert the single lane between City Railway Station and Ashokapuram Railway Station into a double lane. The Railways will conduct a survey, prepare a Detailed Project Report (DPR) and expedite the work accordingly, addressing the traffic bottleneck along this route.

Simha emphasised that the entire stretch beyond Mysuru Junction towards Nanjangud and Chamarajanagar operates as a single-line track, contributing to traffic congestion. Doubling the track till Ashokapuram will significantly alleviate this bottleneck and allow for the extension of more train services to Ashokapuram Station.

The Inland Container Depot will enhance manufacturing and export capabilities in the region, while the expansion of Ashokapuram Railway Station will alleviate congestion at Mysuru Junction and enable the operation of additional services.

The MP mentioned that most of the civil works of the Inland Container Depot are nearing completion and the depot is expected to be ready for inauguration after Sept. 15. This facility is the second of its kind in Karnataka and is being developed at an approximate cost of Rs. 100 crore.

The expanded facilities at Ashokapuram, worth Rs. 30 crore, including two new stabling lines, two pit lines, two new platforms and a second entrance from the Jayanagar side, will pave the way for the introduction of new services while easing the pressure on Mysuru Junction.

Senior Railway officials, including Ravichandran, Senior Divisional Engineer (Coordination), T.V. Bhushan, Gati Shakti Unit head and others, were present during the meeting.