RailEnquiry

The Palakkad division of Southern Railways has submitted a Rs 16-crore proposal to the Railway Board for the development of facilities at Mangalore Central railway station.

Participating in a review meeting convened by the Mangalore MP Nalin Kumar Kateel here on Monday, the Additional Divisional Railway Manager of Palakkad, Mohan A. Menon, said the proposal for development of a second entry to Mangalore Central railway station was submitted to Railway Board, through Railway Headquarters, for sanction in 2013-14. But it was not sanctioned. However, fresh proposal with modified cost has been processed again. It is being submitted to Railway Board for consideration in 2014-15, he said.

Of the Rs 16-crore works proposed, some of the major works include the construction of platform numbers 4 and 5 at Mangalore Central station, and the construction of a new foot-over-bridge and the extension of the second foot-over-bridge at the station.

It may be mentioned here that the Palakkad division had mooted the idea of developing Mangalore Central railway station at a cost of Rs 17 crore in 2012. This included the construction of fourth and fifth railway platform at Mangalore Central, and the opening of the second entry for the railway station.

The Mangalore MP had sought the opening of the second entry for the railway station to ease congestion during peak hours, and to construct two more platforms for the smooth movement of trains.

To a query by the Mangalore MP on declaring Mangalore Central railway station as world class railway station, Menon said that the Kerala Industrial and Technical Consultancy Organisation (Kitco) will do the perspective plans for the development of world class stations at Mangalore Central, Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi and Kozhikode.

“The Kitco will do consultancy and identify the private partners. This is what we have been given to understand,” he said.