Faster trains sought to industrial hubs from city

With the state advocating that industry move to Tier-2 cities and decongest Bangalore, there is an urgent need for introduction of fast train services to areas like Mysore, Nanjangud and Tumkur, an industry chamber has said.

“There is a significant business and commuter traffic between these cities. They are forced to use rail surface transport options. This initiative will certainly de-congest Bangalore, especially in terms of housing and other infrastructure bottlenecks,” the Bangalore Chamber of Industry and Commerce (BCIC) said.

In a pre-budget memorandum to Railway Minister, the BCIC has demanded the introduction of a super fast express train between Bangalore and Nanjanagud via Mysore with a stop near Metagalli industrial area, to cover the distance within two hours. The train should start at 7 am and reach Nanjangud at 9 am and similarly, leave Nanjangud at 6 pm and reach Bangalore at 8 pm, the chamber suggested.

A similar fast train (1 hour duration) should be introduced between Bangalore City and Tumkur with stops at industrial areas near Tumkur and Bangalore.

The chamber has also demanded the introduction of a diesel-electric multiple unit-based commuter rail services on the Ramanagaram - Bidadi - Bangalore - Byappanahalli -Chandapur - Hosur route and vice versa on the East West corridor. Similar DEMU based CRS could be considered for North-South corridor connecting Nelamangala-Yeshwantpur-Bangalore-Bypanahalli-Chandapur-Hosur, it said. The BCIC has asked for electrification and track doubling of the Bangalore-Mysore corridor.

It is essential to complete the project expeditiously as this would ease movement of traffic as well as the flow of investments into the city and the region. This will take away the pressure from Bangalore in terms of housing and other infrastructure to facilitate people to commute between the two cities for work.

“There is a need to create a dedicated platform at Bidadi station to facilitate dispatch of automobiles from Toyota Kirloskar Motor Co premises to various destinations. The company has also sent a detailed memorandum in this regard to the Ministry of Railways and we request action on this to be speeded up,” BCIC said.

Railways may consider similar dedicated platforms at Hosur station to facilitate the dispatch of automobiles from Ashok Leyland and TVS Motors. No proper facilities such as forklifts, mobile cranes are available in any of the Railway stations for loading and unloading of heavier cargo, risking injury to persons and damage to cargo, BCIC pointed out.