Techies can reach office without jumping off trains

BENGALURU: Bhavin Gandhi and many other techies like him who jump on railway tracks when the train stops between KR Puram and Whitefield stations daily, might not have to do this stunt any more. The railways is working out a plan to build a proper station between KR Puram and Whitefield stops and extend the Nelamangala-Yeshwantpur DEMU train to Whitefield via Hebbal.
For over a year now, social media group Citizens 4 Better Bangalore and industry bodies have been asking for a railway station behind Prestige Shantiniketan and a suburban train from the city to Whitefield.
Like thousands others, Bhavin who works in Whitefield takes the train that goes towards Byappanahalli and further to Bengaluru City station. The new station (to be called Hoodi halt) will finally ease their journey. It will save at least an hour of commute for these daily travellers.
On Monday, MP PC Mohan wrote to the divisional railway manager to extend the Nelamangala Yeshwantpur train to Whitefield. In May, Mohan allocated Rs 1.7 crore from the MPLADS fund to the railways. "The designs are ready and tenders for construction will be floated by late July," Mohan told TOI. The South Western Railway (SWR) had admitted that it has no funds to construct the station.
"This should have happened a decade ago when Whitefield was readying for massive business development. Whitefield has a workforce of 2 lakh commuting from different parts of the city every day," said Bhavin.
Not just Citizens 4 Better Bangalore, even representatives of Whitefield Rising, Whitefield Area Commerce and Industries Association (WACIA) and MP P C Mohan met the divisional railway manager of South Western Railway, Bengaluru division, several times in the past year.