More than a year after its completion, Sir M Visvesvaraya Terminal in Baiyappanahalli will begin functioning in two months, with officials preparing the inauguration of the Rs 315-crore facility.
In a letter dated March 31, senior officials have approved a tentative list of six pairs of trains that will be shifted to the terminal.
While the letter does not mention the date of the inauguration, the reference to the inaugural special train means it is not too far away.
“An inaugural special train (from the terminal) to Vishakhapatnam consisting of 18 LHB coaches is tentatively planned with open timings. As agreed by the CPTM/E.Co.R, new coaches will be provided by E.Co.Railway (East Coast Railway) for the inaugural run. Further, a regular weekly service is likely to commence from April 11, 2022,” the letter states.
A senior railway official cautioned against getting carried away by the letter.
“It is true that preparations are being made to keep the terminal ready for inauguration. Work is on to treat the terminal for a single coat of paint. However, there is no clarity on the inaugural date,” he said.
Acknowledging the internal communication, the official, however, cautioned that one should not be carried away by the date mentioned in the letter.
“A similar communication was issued in February last year. However, the inauguration was put off due to some reasons. We now believe that it may happen by the end of April or the beginning of May. However, that depends on the availability of the VIPs,” he said.
To a question, Bengaluru Divisional Railway Manager Shyam Singh said no discussions on the inaugurations have been held.
“As of now, no date has been decided regarding the inauguration,” he said, adding that the date in the internal communication doesn’t amount to a decision by the higher authorities.
Railway users and activists have criticised the delay in opening of the terminal for the past one year.
Watch the latest DH Videos here: