By the end of the fiscal, the South Western Railways (SWR) will commission 76 km of new lines and 76 km of doubling of lines, said P.K. Saxena, SWR’s General Manager. Addressing reporters on Tuesday, he said that the focus will be on creating new routes and expanding the network. Last year, SWR had commissioned 51 km of new lines and 38 km of lines were doubled.
He said that SWR proposes to double lines in four places over the next five years. This year, work has been taken up on Yelahanka-Penukonda line, Hubballi-Chikkajajooru line, Arsikere-Tumakuru line and Miraj-Londa line.
Mr. Saxena said that a cleanliness drive will be taken up till June 9, as part of which awareness will be created among passengers, transporters and others. Of the 2,200 bogies in SWR, 325 have been fitted with bio-toilets. He said Tumakuru city railway station will be modernised at an estimated cost of Rs. 5.5 crore.
Sunanda Arul, Additional DRM, said that a 16-bed dormitory for women has been set up at the City Railway Station. It will have a locker facility and toilets. The charges will be Rs. 200 per day and Rs. 125 for 12 hours. Booking can be done online.
