The city terminal is the third such station: the other two, in Habibganj (Rani Kamlapati), Madhya Pradesh and Gandhinagar, Gujarat were inaugurated before the Sir MV Terminal although they were completed later
Bengaluru’s first airport-like train station with centralised air-conditioning has started operations. Readied almost over a year ago, the INR 314-crore Sir M Visvesvaraya Terminal at Byappanahalli – with centralized air conditioning – started operations without much fanfare, reported TNN. A formal inauguration by Prime Minister Narendra Modi could happen later.
The South Western Railway (SWR) has shifted three pairs of long-distance trains from Banaswadi station to Sir MV terminal. The Banaswadi-Ernakulam tri-weekly Express (no. 12684) was the first to run from the terminal.
The city terminal is the third such station: the other two, in Habibganj (Rani Kamlapati), Madhya Pradesh and Gandhinagar, Gujarat were inaugurated before the Sir MV Terminal although they were completed later. The work on the terminal was supposed to be completed in December 2018, but it missed several deadlines. Though it was ready in March 2021, a formal inauguration was delayed since the Prime Minister’s office did not find a suitable date.
“This is the first gGreenfield project where Indian railways constructed a world-class terminal. Other two stations (Habibganj and Gandhinagar) where the existing ones were re-developed by the IRSDC,” E Vijaya, SWR Chief PRO(in-charge), said.
In Bengaluru, this will be the third railway coaching terminal (where trains originate/terminate their trips) after KSR Bengaluru City and Yeshwantpur stations. While KSR, which is part of the Mysuru line, has been operational since 1882, Yeshwantpur station on the Doddaballapur line was built in 1892.
In addition to the existing trains, railways will also operate long-distance trains from the new terminal. Earlier, railways had planned to allow private firms to operate long-distance trains from here. The identified routes to and from the terminal were: Okhla, Patliputra, Gorakhpur, Allahabad, Tambaram, Shalimar, Hatia, Jaipur and Guwahati
Vijaya said that the Bengaluru railway division of SWR came into existence only in 1981. The railway track was predominantly a meter gauge and narrow gauge during that time but today, the entire Bengaluru division has only broadgauge tracks.
The façade of the terminal is designed on the lines of the Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) and can cater to a daily footfall of 50,000.
SWR sources said they are likely to shift around 30 pairs of long-distance trains to Sir MV terminal in phases. “The Railway Board has already approved shifting of 28 pairs of long-distance trains to the new terminal but this will be done in phases,” one of them said.
In addition to the existing trains, railways will also operate long-distance trains from the new terminal. Earlier, railways had planned to allow private firms to operate long-distance trains from here. The identified routes to and from the terminal were: Okhla, Patliputra, Gorakhpur, Allahabad, Tambaram, Shalimar, Hatia, Jaipur and Guwahati.
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