Udupi, Surathkal to get better platforms by December - CPRO

Udupi, Surathkal to get better platforms by December - CPRO

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangalore, Sep 26, 2014:  Interacting with media on September 25,  Konkan Railway Corporation Limited (KRCL) Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO) Vaishali Patange stated,  widening of platforms at Udupi and Surathkal railway stations will be completed by December.

The platform at Udupi will be widened by 10 metre from the existing six metre. A direct entry will be made to the second platform here, as it will help the students who travel to and from Manipal, Patange said. The construction of connecting passage to the second platform is in progress and it would be completed in April. At Surathkal station, the entry and exit points needs to be widened besides, widening of the platform to 8x30 metres area. The work has already commenced.

Though the KRCL has asked the state government to shift the building of the commercial tax located near the entry point at Surathkal station, which often causes congestion, the government has not initiated any measures in this regard as yet.

 Bio-toilets  :  The CPRO said that Udupi, Surathkal stations soon will have bio-toilets. Currently eight stations under KRCL have bio-toilet facilities including Byndoor, Karwar and Thivum (Goa). The bio-toilet has been installed at Byndoor station in the new building and once the work of the building is complete, the same would be open for public.

Track doubling :  On the work on track doubling, Patange said that Thokur-Byndoor stretch and Roha-Karanjade (Maharashtra) stretch has been identified to take up the work in the first phase. Doubling of the track inside tunnels will be taken up in the second phase.

The KRCL has fetched a record revenue of Rs 65 crore through RORO (roll-on-rolloff) service in the year 2013-14, where loaded trucks are directly carried by railway wagons to their destination. As many as 55,000 trucks were carried by RORO last year.

Silver year-25 years : The Railway Corporation will celebrate its silver jubilee year by conducting various programmes throughout the year commencing from October 15. Releasing coins, postal stamps in commemoration of the silver jubilee year are on the anvil.

To a query, the CRPO said that in the last three years, no rain related mishaps had been reported on route during monsoon. Though KRCL has put in place several safety measures to avert any kind of havoc during monsoon, Railway Safety Commissioner has to give the nod to do away with the practice of changing train timings during monsoon.

She said that the corporation would go for a whole day cleanliness drive, cleaning the railway premises, residential colonies and tracks on October 2. The KRCL employees with the help of NCC, Scouts, Guides and students will take part in the drive, which is expected to be a game changer with regard to cleanliness.