BENGALURU: Four months from now, Yesvantpur railway station will have a sophisticated, classy appearance akin to an airport as it is being revamped at a rapid pace. The station has been selected by the Railway Board under the Stations Redevelopment Project which aims at upgrading 65 important stations across the country.
Selfie spots and tactile spaces to assist the visually impaired, figure among the unique features that will mark the revamped Yesvantpur, which is the second busiest railway station in Bengaluru with a daily average of 1 lakh footfalls.
Neeraj Bapna, Senior Divisional Engineer (North), Bengaluru Railway Division, in-charge of the Engineering works of the project, told The New Indian Express, “The station is being completely upgraded at a cost of Rs 15 crore. In Phase-I of the project which has been approved by the Railway Board, the entry facing the Yesvantpur Metro station (Platform 6 entry) is being overhauled. This entry is intended to give the feel of an airport from the exterior.”
Though the cramped Market entry (Platform 1) side desperately requires improvements, the Railways will focus on it in Phase-II of the project. “The second entry has been chosen first as it serves an interface between Metro, National Highways and Railways and this makes it crucial. More passengers enter the station from this side now though it is called as back entry,” he said.
The open parking space here will have different lanes to be earmarked for cabs to drop passengers, separate lane for autos, for other vehicles and for parking.
Inside, the General Waiting Hall, the Ladies waiting hall and the Upper Class Waiting room have already been overhauled under the project at a cost of Rs 50 lakh. Hi-end lighting, sophisticated sanitary fittings and classy interiors mark these spaces now.
The combined platforms of Two and Three, as well as Four and Five, have the flooring relaid with rough granite. “Tactile tiling towards the end of the platform similar to that seen in Metro stations have been laid in order to help the visually handicapped board and alight on their own,” the official said.
Patches of greenery scattered throughout the station will enhance the overall aesthetic appeal. A selfie spot with words to the effect of ‘I love Yesvantpur station’ are in the offing, Bapna said. “We are targeting November 30 to complete Phase-I. At the latest, the revamped station will be ready by the end of this year,” he informed.
Metro needs to put in place skywalk
Asked about the long-pending demand for a connecting bridge between Yesvantpur railway station and the Metro station, Senior Divisional Engineer (North), Bengaluru Division, Neeraj Bapna said, “Railways has given in-principle approval for the skywalk. It is upto the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited to complete the work now.”