RailEnquiry

MYSORE: Growing pressure at Mysore railway station could be eased, helping thousands of commuters to use the railway facilities if Mysore MP Adagooru H Vishwanath has his way.The MP is seeking railway minister M Mallikarjuna Kharge to approve a plan to develop a railway station at Metagalli, 4km from the Mysore railway station, to facilitate more travellers. The idea is to develop an additional railway station in the city to ease pressure at the centrally located and landlocked Mysore railway station.

The new location at Metagalli-Karakushala Nagar junction has ample space for development of the new lines. According to the MP, senior officials of the Mysore division of South Western Railway have approved the location in principle.

The new spot, which was inspected by the MP along with senior railway officials, is close to six-lane Outer Ring Road and abuts industrial and IT belts in the city. At present, Mysore division is using the space for cargo movement.

Vishwanath, who held a discussion with the railway authorities at divisional railway manager's office, told reporters that he will meet Kharge and senior executives of the railway ministry and get the project sanctioned. "There is growing pressure on Mysore railway station, and it cannot take additional traffic. The other option is to develop another railway station in the city to ease traffic and also get additional trains to the tourist hub," he added.

The MP said that he will seek the minister to sanction funds for railway station proposed at Metagalli. Though the Mysore railway station has attended to passengers' needs for over a century, it cannot stretch any more, given that it is landlocked. "We have to think about an alternative," he added.

The team visited BM Sri Nagar and Metagalli and also paid a visit to Chamarajpuram railway station, where the railway authorities are proposing to take up works to extend amenities to passengers.

The newly built two-storey utility building at Mysore railway station has come under the scanner with former minister and Narasimharaja MLA Tanveer Sait questioning the officials' judgment in using the prime land. According to him, the space was reserved for laying a road, but was used to build the complex. "How can the officials be so callous? Now they are delaying D Devaraj Urs memorial hall at Dasappa Circle junction abutting the railway station, seeking the land reserved for the project. This will not do," he told the officials during a meeting of MP and railway authorities. He asked the officials to allow the construction of the building.