Bengaluru, Oct 8 (IANS): A new train terminal in this tech city is nearing completion for decongesting the choked main city station and Yesvantpur station, an official said on Thursday.
"The third terminal at Baiyyappanahalli in the city's eastern suburb is getting ready for commissioning soon. A few passenger trains towards Chennai and Howrah will depart from there when normal services are restored after Covid subsides," senior divisional commercial manager Krishna Reddy told IANS.
The Covid-induced lockdown and restrictions to prevent the corona virus spread forced the state-run railways to suspend passenger services since March 25 for over 2 months till May.
Under unlock 1 to 5, the South Western Railway (SWR) zone has been operating daily select intra-state and inter-state trains to ferry passengers, stranded at many places during the lockdown.
"As Krantiveera Sangoly Rayanna (KSR) station in the city centre and Yesvantpur station in the city's north east region area are saturated with a number of trains originating or terminating during normal days, the new station with 7 platforms will help us to shift some services to the new terminal," said Reddy.
Being built at a cost of Rs 240 crore, the third railway terminal in the city boasts of a huge facade akin to the Kempegowda international airport and will be centrally air-conditioned.
"With the metro rail service operating on the east-west corridor located at Baiyappanahalli, which is parallel to the new terminal, passengers will be able to travel seamlessly from one to the other station or their platforms," said Reddy.
With increasing number of trains from all routes arriving or departing at short intervals, especially during the morning and night peak hours, platforms at the first two terminals have been unable to regulate their movement.
"Though all passenger trains have been suspended since the Covid-induced lockdown was enforced on March 25 and extended further, testing of the yard was completed in the absence of traffic on the tracks," Reddy said.
The centrally air-conditioned third terminal will enable the zonal railway to operate more trains to Chennai and Mumbai regions.
"The yard has been remodelled with 18 lines, enabling us to operate 8 passenger trains from 7 platforms and have 6 stabling lines, 3 pit lines and one spare for a future pit line," said Reddy.
The terminal will also have 5 loco bay lines, 1 track machine siding, 1 sick line, 1 shunting neck, 1 parcel siding, 1 inspection car siding and 2 short stabling lines for more capacity for simultaneous operation of arriving and departing trains from Chennai and Mumbai towards Hubballi in the state's northwest region up to Goa.