Metre gauge services suspended on Mysore-Chamarajanagara route

Mysore, Jan 16 (UNI) The century-old metre gauge train service in the Mysore-Nanjangud-Chamarajanagara route has been suspended for six months from today to enable taking it up for broad gauge conversion.

The train had its last journey this evening, Divisional Commercial Manager Somasekhar told UNI here.

Rail services commenced operations in 1895 from Mysore to Nanjangud and in 1926 from Nanjangud to Chamarajanagara, after being inaugurated by the then Maharaja of Mysore Nalvadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar. Since then, the railway line had seen no development.

The metre gauge was constructed at a cost of 8.40 crore during the Maharaja's period and now it would cost around Rs 100 crore for the conversion, funds for which had been released nearly four years back. Minor civil works have been completed, including a bridge between Mysore and Nanjangud over river Kapila at a cost of Rs five crore. Works like change of track and construction of small bridges were pending.

Materials like sleepers and iron rail tracks have been stocked in the Ashokpuram railway station and once the work began, it was expected to be completed in six months.

Railway sources said nearly 8,500 passengers were travelling daily between Mysore-Nanjangud and Chamarajanagara.

Meanwhile, Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) Divisional Controller (Urban) Ashok Kumar said arrangements have been made to ply extra buses in the route from tomorrow to facilitate daily commuters. Besides, the around 205 trips now running to Nanjangud and 40 trips to Chamarajanagara, buses would ply to Chamarajanagara at every five minutes.

KSRTC Divisional Controller (Rural) M N Venkatesh said from tomorrow, buses would ply to Chamarajanagara at every five minutes in peak hours and in non-peak hours at every ten to 15 minutes.

After studying the rush in peak hours, a decision would be taken to run 20 additional trips to both Nanjangud and Chamarajanagara.

UNI