Station development works pick up pace at Bantwal Railway Station in Dakshina Kannada

Bantwal Railway Station development at ₹26.18 crore under SWR progressing swiftly, set to complete by March 2025.

The station development works at a cost of ₹26.18 crore at Bantwal Railway Station in Dakshina Kannada District under the Mysuru Division of South Western Railway (SWR) have picked up pace after a long lull.

Launched in August 2023 virtually by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, development works on Bantwal Railway Station started in September the same year. Though the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme projects were brought under the PM GATI Shakti scheme for speedy completion, the works did not progress fast.

Bantwal Station development plan broadly included resurfacing the flooring of Platform 1 and 2 and providing platform shelters, both for a length of 400 m each; improving the station building, passenger concourse and facade; enhanced circulating area; vehicular parking facilities; provision for lift, among other works.

When The Hindu visited Bantwal Railway Station on Monday (February 10, 2025), station building works were seen progressing fast. Civil works on the circulating area were also being undertaken while a few workers were seen engaged in laying granite flooring on PF 2.

A representative of the contractor said the works have picked up speed since a fortnight. It may be mentioned here that The Hindu had on January 19 reported in these columns about the slow pace of works being undertaken at Subrahmanya Road Railway Station under SWR’s Mysuru Division. Works at Subrahmanya Road and Bantwal were launched simultaneously. Following the news report, senior officials of the Division visited Subrahmanya Road to expedite the works.

Asked about the corroded roof trusses which were exposed to rain and weather vagaries for over a year for the proposed platform shelters, the representative said they would be given a fresh anti-rust coat of paint before roof sheets are erected. As the civil works, including platform floor resurfacing and station building modernisation, were in full swing, passengers using the station premises should exercise abundant caution, he said.

The representative said the Railways has given March 2025 deadline to complete all the works, including the signal and telecommunications, along with civil works. The contractor was confident of completing them on time, he added.