Platform shelter renewal work begins at Udupi Railway Station

Konkan Railway Corporation will also take up other developmental works in a phased manner in Udupi

Konkan Railway Corporation Ltd. (KRCL) started the platform shelter renewal work at Udupi Railway Station, one of the major stations in its network. Located at Indrali, between Udupi and Manipal, the station caters to patrons visiting the temple town as well as the education town in the region.

The shelter renewal process began with dismantling the old and rickety roof sheets on Sunday, October 27, while workers began casting new roofing sheets on Monday, October 28. Officials said the work is part of a complete renewal of various sections Udupi Railway Station building that had not seen any upkeep for many years.

On September 4, 2023, The Hindu published a news story, “With slush-filled paring area, inadequate platform shelters, Udupi Railway Station doesn’t gel with city’s stature, say passengers,” in these columns. A week later during his visit to the Station, the then Director (Operations and Commercial) and the present Chairman and Managing Director Santosh Kumar Jha said Udupi was known as a religious, tourism, and healthcare destination with people from across the country visiting the place. KRCL will provide more facilities at the station in the coming days, the Director had said.

Corporation officials told The Hindu that at present, the entire length of shelter on Platform 1 will be renewed, and the work on erecting shelter on PF 2 will subsequently be taken up. Along with renewing shelters on PF 1, KRCL would also updgade the surface of the platform that has become old.

Other developmental works

Along with platform shelter renewal, KRCL would also take up other improvement works in the station thereby addressing the concerns of patrons, who are critical of the pathetic condition of the station building and its surroundings. Those works include improving the circulating and parking areas, providing escalators to foot over-bridge etc.

Incidentally, the Railway Ministry had included Udupi Railway Station under Amrit Bharat Station Scheme for its overall development. KRCL was in the process of submitting a detailed project report to the Ministry, the official said.

Published - October 28, 2024 09:13 pm IST