Mangaluru Central new rail platforms work delayed

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, Sep 14, 2019: Speaking at the railway officials coordination meeting, chaired by DK MP Nalin Kumar Kateel, on September 13,  Friday, Palakkad Division DRM Pratap Singh Shami said  that Mangaluru Central Railway Station’s new additional rail platforms 4 and 5,  will be taken up only after shifting the pitline, he added that the estimate had been prepared for the new platforms and submitted to the Railway Board.

"The new platforms at Mangaluru Central Railway Station will not only reduce inconveniences to passengers but more trains could be accomodated."

Shami said track-doubling work from Mangaluru Central Railway Station to Mangaluru Junction would be taken up next year. The work on doubling the 1.5-km line between the station and Netravathi Cabin will be taken up on priority basis, he added.

Instead of World Class station at Mangaluru Central, redevelopment work of the station will be taken up, he added.

To a query on construction of foot over bridge (FoB) and installation of escalator at Mangaluru Junction, the DRM said that work on installing the lift was in progress while FoB had been approved and the estimate was being prepared.

Sudarsha Puttur of Railway Commuters’ Forum said there was a need for ATM kiosk at Mangaluru Junction Railway Station. Officials said the tender was floated twice for installing ATM kiosk. As none had come forward, tender was being floated for the third time and it will be opened on September 25.

Closing level crossings  :  Mysuru Division DRM Aparna Garg said that eight level crossings in Dakshina Kannada district coming under the division need to be eliminated.  When informed that proposals on closing level crossings were pending with district administration, DK DC Sindhu Rupesh said approval had been given for closing of three level crossings. She promised to look into the remaining proposals.

DRM Aparna said the cost of an underpass with retaining wall at Adyar was estimated at Rs 4.5 crore. The railways will submit a proposal to the state government and the work will be implemented on cost sharing basis.

DK MP Kateel urged DK DC to visit the spot where underpass was constructed in Farangipete and said the underpass needed to be concreted by increasing the height to prevent stagnation of water.

On Kaniyur-Kanhangad railway line survey work, MP said that the survey had been completed in Kerala and the survey could not be taken up in Karnataka due to delay in issuance of clearance from the Forest department. MP Kateel promised to take up the matter with CM soon.