Those who carp about poor facilities at two of the major railway stations — Bangalore City and Yeshwanthpur — can take some comfort in the Bangalore Division of the South Western Railway's long-term plans to augment passenger amenities, which include a new station building at the second entrance of the city station.
The administration is hopeful of completing the second entry building so as to take the pressure off the entrance near Okalipuram by May this year. Work on this building, with parking space in the basement, ground and first floors, has been bogged down by funds crunch. Divisional Railway Manager Sudhanshu Mani told The Hindu once the building is complete, there will be plenty of elbow room for passengers as well as vehicles.
So long, pushcarts
A new road at the main entrance of the Bangalore City Station, to help easy exit and movement of BMTC buses, is in progress. However, the proposed multi-level car park in front of the RPF office, between the station and the DRM's office, may take a while.
Mr. Mani said the parcel office on Platform 1 of the City Station has been shifted out of the station premises and six battery-operated parcel trucks are being introduced. These trucks will replace pushcarts, whose movement passengers say, rattles them. Separate marked truck/ trolley paths have been created on all platforms of the city station, except PF 4, which is a little narrow.
There are plans to open an exclusive waiting area for senior citizens and persons with disabilities on Platform 1. This area will be tagged with operators of battery-operated carts who will take senior citizens to the train at the appropriate time, Mr. Mani said.
An air-conditioned waiting area — albeit paid — with recreational and Internet facilities will come up on the first floor of the station building. A refreshment centre will also come up on the first floor. After the unreserved ticketing system counters at the main concourse were shifted to the adjacent reservation building, steel chairs to seat 150 have been provided in the area.
Mr. Mani said the city station building will get a total makeover by April with the help of architects and conservationists, in keeping with the spirit of Bangalore.
At the passenger reservation system (PRS) complex, single queue and multiple-counter system has been introduced for regular as well as Tatkal booking. “Earlier, people used to assemble from 4 a.m. to book Tatkal tickets and we felt it was not proper to make them wait in such a manner. Hence, the single queue has been introduced with row-seating arrangement. The Tatkal counters now open at 5.45 a.m.”
The subway too has been given a complete facelift with the drains covered, floors tiled and walls beautified with paintings. It has also been provided with heavy-duty lifts.
Meanwhile, four-and two-wheeler parking facilities, large passenger concourse and unreserved ticketing system counters, works of which are under way at the market entry of Yeshwanthpur Railway Station will be ready shortly. The new station building will be ready by May. Platform 3 will be concreted in a month, which will make it easier for mechanised cleaning.
