Now, Karnataka set to have a real Malgudi railway station

Bengaluru, March 5: In the Doordarshan days, 'Malgudi Days' directed by late Shankar Nag and based on the works of RK Narayan had become immensely popular. Most of the TV series was shot in Agumbe village in Karnataka's Shivamogga district.

However, now a real Malgudi is set to appear as the Indian Railways has decided to rename Arasalu railway station located 34 kms from Shivamogga and on the Shivamogga-Talaguppa railway line and in Hosanagar taluka.

In fact, some of the iconic shots of the TV series were shot at this station and renaming it was a way of paying tributes to Nag who had died in a road accident in 1990 at the age of 35.

The Railways has also planned to renovate the station with a budget of Rs 1.3 crore, a report in The Hindu said. A Malgudi museum would also be set up near the station, Shivamogga MP BY Raghavendra told the daily.

"I discussed the matter of renaming the station and setting up the museum with the Divisional Manager and the response was enthusiastic," he was quoted as saying.

In 2011, the Yeshwantpur-Mysuru Express that runs in Karnataka was renamed as Malgudi Express.