Demand for more trains to airport

Nischith N | NT

South Western Railways (SWR) runs trains between Bengaluru city station and the new Kempegowda International Airport Devanahalli (KIAD) railway station. This has been designed to reduce the pressure of commuting by jammed roads and to facilitate air travellers’ smooth travel to the airport. But an activist claims that the operated trains were not matching the commuters’ timings demand. So, now railway activists demand that electrification work was taken up and completed recently, to start MEMU services to Devanahalli specifically as per request from the BIAL suitable for its 28,000 direct and indirect staff commuting to Airport daily.

Speaking to News Trail, Rajum Rajkumar Dugar, railway activist, said the trains were cancelled as per the Covid breakout. “Now things are coming to normal and also electrification work has been taken up and completed recently, so the demand has increased now. As electrification work is completed, the SWR can extend trains directly from Mysuru, Tumakuru, Hosur and Bangarpet to Devanahalli to cater to all routes around Bengaluru. Because of the Chikkaballapur tracks, we are of the strong opinion that this route has massive potential.”

BIAL has even built a halt station adjacent to its compound, and on January 4, 2020, new train services to this station were started by the SWR. However, services were discontinued on account of Covid as well as low patronage. Now, by operating more trains, it will help people along these routes reach the airport directly while additionally providing en route local commute by public transport.

“The route passes through Baiyyappanahalli, which is a railway junction and has a metro station nearby. Quadrupling between Bengaluru Cantt and Whitefield, when completed, will also help these services. Bengaluru Cantt also has good roads, auto and bus stands. These services must be punctual in terms of timings, must have good frequency and also the travel duration should be 45- 60 min, and run on all seven days of the week. Anyways, we have discussed all this with the SWR and also the BIAL, and we have requested the SWR and hope they will do the needful at earliest,” Rajum Rajkumar Dugar added.