Work on 3rd rly terminus commences

Work on 3rd rly terminus commences
By S Lalitha, DH News Service, Bangalore:
Overhead electrification work has been in progress for some time and would be ready by the time the provision for water is completed.


After a year of dithering, work finally commenced at the Cantonment Station on Saturday to create the infrastructure needed to convert the station into the City’s third railway terminus. The work is expected to be completed by early February and will considerably ease the present traffic at the City station when operations commence here.

The absence of water, imperative in the maintenance and cleaning of coaches, was a major hindrance to start and terminate trains at Cantonment. “Water pipelines were laid on Saturday that connect a huge tank inside the station (on Platform Two side) to Platform 1A, which will be used as the termination point,” said Shekar, in-charge of the pipe-laying work here.

On completion of pipework, water hydrants need to be installed, which will be readied in a month’s time, a top source said.

“Overhead electrification work has been in progress for some time and would be ready by the time the provision for water is completed,” the source added.

The plan to make the station a terminus has been in the offing for over a year, another source said. “With the plan to develop Byappanahalli into a world class station, work to improve this station took backseat,” he added.

Trains on track

Kachiguda Express, a daily train from Bangalore to Kachiguda (Hyderabad), is expected to commence from the station once the facilities are in place. The train arrives at 6.30 a m at the City station and departs only at 6.30 pm. “It blocks one line for 12 hours. Shifting the train’s departure to Cantonment is expected to offer space at City station.”

Either the Prashanti Express (City to Bhuvaneshwar) that departs at 2 pm from the City or the Seshadri Express (Bangalore to Kakinada) that departs at 1.15 pm is likely to start from Cantonment station in future. Arrival and departure of more trains here will be considered once operations commence.

The installation of water hydrants would also help in improving the hygiene and appearance of the railway tracks.

“Due to the absence of water, cleaning is carried out on a regular basis with a chemical mixed with lime and sprinkled all along the tracks to cover up the night soil to avoid infection as well as to prevent stink,” officials said.