With Kempegowda International Airport’s second runway
expected to be operational next year and the new terminal by 2021,
railway activists want the doubling and electrification work along the
Yelahanka-Chikkaballapura section to be speeded up.
“This...
more...

work should be taken up on priority. The railways recently floated a
tender for doubling of Byappanahalli-Hosur section, they should also
consider Yelahanka-Chikkaballapura. This will benefit passengers as well
as staff working at the airport,” said Sanjeev Dyamannavar, an activist
campaigning for better suburban train services.
The minutes of a 2014 meeting reveal that South Western Railway (SWR)
had proposed a crossing halt station near KIA, upgradation of passenger
amenities in stations between Yeshwantpur and Chikkaballapura, a halt station at Thanisandra, extension of platforms at
Devanahalli station to accommodate long-distance trains and operate additional Demu ones.
Four years have passed but these proposals are gathering dust. The delay in Namma Metro’s airport connectivity and the
lackadaisical attitude of SWR and the government are likely to worsen traffic congestion on arterial roads, particularly in areas
like Hebbal, once the airport expansion is over, activists said The number of passengers handled by KIA has increased from 10 million in 2008 to 26.9 million in 2018 and after completion of
terminal 2, the combined capacity of both terminals will be around 70 million. “Namma Metro’s airport connectivity is unlikely to
be a reality any time soon. SWR and the government are equally responsible for the delay in providing a rail link to the airport.
We cannot afford more delays as the number of passengers at KIA will double,” said Dyamannavar. He felt a halt station near
KIA should be built between Dodjala and Devanahalli stations. “Hoodi station is a classic example how a local MP (PC Mohan)
can build the facility. It won’t cost much to build a similar one at KIA.”
‘Extend train services’
There is a growing demand to extend train services from KSR Bengaluru City station to Chikkaballapura or Devanahalli. Rail
enthusiast Deepak Ulli said trains like Malgudi Express can be extended up to Devanahalli, and new Demu trains can be
introduced between City station and Devanahalli.
S Yogendra, a passenger said: “Chikkaballapura can be converted into a terminal station. SWR can extend Malgudi Express and
Night Queen Passenger till Chikkaballapur or Devanahalli.

Ongoing work by the South Western Railways (SWR) of double
tracking the Londa-Vasco route has hit a road block at Curchorem. Taking
up cudgels for the residents of Kamral, Devlemol and Astemol of
Curchorem, who will be affected by the project, local MLA and power
minister...
more...

Nilesh Cabral directed the railway officials to construct alternative
roads for the affected locals before commencing any work of doubling the
tracks.
For the last several decades, residents of Kamral have been using the
nallah running across the tracks to get to the other side of the railway
corridor. There is, in fact, a long-pending demand for a rail underbridge
(subway). As the double tracking of the route would further increase their
woes, residents demanded that the railways take up the construction of a subway before undertaking any double-tracking
work in the village.
At Devlemol and Astemol, as the proposed second railway truck cuts through an existing road leading to the two hamlets,
residents fear they will be left cut off from the rest.
Cabral, accompanied by Curchorem Cacora Municipal Council (CCMC) chairperson and railway officials, inspected the site on
Monday. He directed officials to stop any further work on the project in the village unless alternative arrangements for access
are provided and the grievances of locals redressed.
Railway officials told reporters that two locations have been identified for the subway at Kamral, and that the proposal would be
sent to the SWR headquarters at Hubballi for approval.

In a first of its kind notable initiative, Piyush Goyal-led Indian Railways has decided to convert its diesel locomotives to electric traction during their midlife rehabilitation.
World-record for Indian Railways! Diesel locomotive converted to electric; crores saved under unique project
By: Smriti Jain | Published: December 6, 2018 2:18 PM
In a first of its kind notable initiative, Piyush Goyal-led Indian Railways has decided...
more...

to convert its diesel locomotives to electric traction during their midlife rehabilitation.
Indian Railways converts diesel locomotive to electric
X
One such diesel locomotive has been converted to electric in a record time of 69 days by the Diesel Locomotive Works (DLW) in Varanasi.
Indian Railways creates world history! In a first of its kind notable initiative, Piyush Goyal-led Indian Railways has decided to convert its diesel locomotives to electric traction during their midlife rehabilitation. One such diesel locomotive has been converted to electric in a record time of 69 days by the Diesel Locomotive Works (DLW) in Varanasi. The cost-effective conversion is also in line with the national transporter’s environment-friendly move of 100% electrification. According to railway officials, only Rs 2.5 crore will be spent for conversion of a diesel locomotives to electric as compared to the mid-life rehabilitation cost of Rs 5-6 crore. That’s a saving of almost 50% for the Indian Railways.
DLW Varanasi has converted a WDG3-class 2,600 HP diesel locomotive to an electric locomotive that delivers 5,000 HP which is 92% more than the older loco. The work on this ambitious project began in December 2017 and the new electric locomotive was dispatched for trials by end of February 2018. According to Indian Railways the task of converting a diesel locomotive to an electric one is a highly specialised – one which it claims has never been carried out in the world.
The combined two-unit locomotive packs 10,000 HP which is adequate to haul a load of up to around 5000 tonnes. It provides a 2:1 horse power to trailing load, considered appropriate for faster transit. Therefore, not only is it cost effective to convert the locomotive, but it also results in faster movement. The new ‘Make in India’ electric locomotive has completed trials and successfully hauled 5200 tonnes of freight on its maiden journey from Varanasi to Ludhiana at a maximum permissible speed of 75 kmph.
Indian Railways believes that the project is a step towards saving traction energy cost. This, it says will reduce Indian Railways’ fuel bill and also reduce carbon emissions besides heralding a new technology era for the national transporter.

The Ernakulam Old Railway Station located near the High Court cuts a sorry figure today. Built by Maharaja Rama Varma XV, the railway station was the first to go operational in Kochi and commands an important place in the city’s history. But wait, there is hope. For after years of delay, the Railways has begun track renovations at the station. “Even though the work is eight years late, it is still a welcome move.
We had been demanding the station’s renovation and organised several agitations, dharnas, satyagrahas and demonstrations, besides approaching people’s representatives,” said K P Harihara Kumar, convenor, Ernakulam Old Railway Station Vikasana Samithy. Full-fledged renovation work would take place only after the 27 families who encroached upon the Railways’ lands...
more...

are rehabilitated, Kumar said. “That is the Kochi Corporation’s work. We had approached the Mayor in this regard following which Rs 2 crore was set aside in last year’s budget for the purpose. That was all,” he said, adding the corporation needs to speed up the process of shifting the encroachers.
“How can a civic body which looks after the city’s interests ignore the historic importance of one of its landmarks? The railway station is 110 years old and has the distinction of hosting Mahatma Gandhi and other big leaders of those days,” Kumar said. Division councillor Sudha Dileepkumar said though the Corporation had promised to clear the encroachments two years ago, nothing was done. “The renovation of a heritage railway station hangs in balance due to the civic body’s apathy,” she said.
The century-old tracks, which were buried under mud, silt and weed due to disuse, are being renovated from Pachalam to the station. Kumar said the Railways had sanctioned `1.45 crore for the purpose.A railway officer said the tracks are being removed and new ones are being laid including the sleepers. “As of now, the Railways will carry out the track renovation. The renovation of the station depends on when the corporation rehabilitates the encroachers,” the officer said.
A promise gone bad
Harihara Kumar said, former Union Railways Minister Suresh Prabhu had agreed to renovate the Ernakulam Old Railway Station and even sanctioned an amount. “However, it did not take off due to the apathy of the Railways authorities and the civic body,” he said. “It was said a ticket counter will be opened at the station, a station manager will be appointed and the station will be converted into a hub for passenger trains. It had been downgraded from a passenger hub to a goods halt. Later, even that stopped,” Kumar said. He said once the station becomes a passenger hub, the commuters’ rush faced at Ernakulam Junction can be somewhat taken care of. “Passenger trains going towards the north can be routed through here,” he said.

Private bus operators are out to make the most of the failure of the Railways to announce a
Christmas-New Year train service to Kerala yet. The ticket fare has crossed Rs 3,000 for long-distance bus
services from Bengaluru. For example, if you want to book a ticket for December 21 to Ernakulam, be
ready to shell out Rs 3,215.
During...
more...

the previous Christmas season, the ticket rate in private buses had gone up to Rs 4,000. This year,
though the Bengaluru-Kochuveli Hamsafar Express is running on Fridays, all the seats have been booked
well in advance.
Kerala RTC help
Kerala RTC will launch special bus services from December 21 to 24 to help Keralites travel to their
hometowns without burning a hole in their pockets. So far, seven daily bus services have been announced.
New services will be launched as and when requirements arise, the authorities said.
21 Karnataka specials
Karnataka RTC has announced 21 special bus services to Kerala. They include four buses to Kottayam on
December 21, ve
to Ernakulam, two to Pamba, one to Munnar, four to Thrissur, three to Palakkad, one to
Kozhikode and one to Mahi. Karnataka RTC has started accepting bookings.
4,000 on waitlist
There are more than 4,000 people on the wait list on trains to Kerala during the Christmas season. On the
peak rush day of December 21, there are more than 2,000 on wait list. There are six trains to Kerala on
December 21, including Kanyakumari Express, Kochuveli Hamsafar, Kochuveli Express, Kannur Express,
Mangaluru-Kannur Express and Ernakulam Intercity.
Since the Sabarimala season coincides with the Christmas-New Year holidays, no tickets are available for
trains that pass through Ernakulam and Kottayam until January. Since no special trains have been
announced yet, Keralites are hoping to nd
tatkal tickets.
Kerala RTC specials, timings
1. Kottayam: 6 pm, deluxe (Mysuru, Kozhikode)
2. Ernakulam: 6.30 pm, deluxe (Mysuru, Kozhikode)
3. Thrissur: 7.15 pm, deluxe (Mysuru, Kozhikode)
4. Kannur: 9 pm, express (Iritty, Mattannoor)
5. Kozhikode: 9.20 pm, deluxe (Mysuru, Mananthavady)
6. Kozhikode: 9.45 pm, express (Mysuru, Mananthavady)
7. Payyanur: 10.15 pm, express (Cherupuzha)
December 21 rates
Bengaluru-Ernakulam: Rs 3,215
Bengaluru-Thiruvananthapuram: Rs 3,200
Bengaluru-Kottayam: Rs 3,000
Bengaluru-Kozhikode: Rs 2,200