BENGALURU: Railway Minister Piyush Goyal on Wednesday said coaches for the suburban train services in Bengaluru will be air-conditioned ones similar to that of Metro trains. He also said the process of installing CCTV cameras to ensure safety of women and children in railway stations and trains across the country has commenced. Taking part in an interactive session organised in the City by the Federation of Karnataka Chambers of Commerce and Industry on its premises, Goyal said, “A total of 15 lakh commuters can travel by suburban trains in Bengaluru when it is completed.
It will have air-conditioned trains like that of Metro.” The Centre had agreed to a 50:50 funding pattern for the suburban services after the State agreed to extend additional Floor Space Index for it, Goyal said. “We can monetise the space provided,” he added. Lack of availability of land had held back the project proposed as early as 1994, he pointed out. “After studying the available area, we decided to make 92 km on ground level and 68 kms of elevated tracks in area where land is not available,” he said. Stating that security of women and children was paramount for the Railways, Goyal said the installation of CCTVs in all railway stations and trains across the country has begun.
7,000 RAILWAY STATIONS TO HAVE FREE WI-FI
Free Wi-fi will be provided across 7,000 railway stations in the country within one year, the Minister said. This would enable people in remote places to visit the railway stations and gain knowledge using wi-fi. Hecited the example of a coolie at Ernakulam railway station, K Sreenath, who stated that he cleared his Kerala Public Service Exams by gaining knowledge using free wi-fi at the station. Railways also plans to provide free training to entrepreneurs,particularly women, to manufacture low cost but high quality sanitary pads and sell them.