Mangaluru: The long-pending demand of citizens for the introduction of more trains from Mangaluru Central would materialise in about a year as this year’s budget has allocated funds not only for doubling the Netravathi Cabin-Mangaluru Central line but also for the construction of an additional platform at the station.

Though the works were sanctioned in the previous Railway budget, they were not taken up for want of funds allocation.

While ₹ 1 lakh [total cost ₹ 6.65 crore] are allocated for the construction of an additional platform at Central, ₹ 5 crore [total cost ₹ 9.46 crore] are set apart for doubling the 1.5-km line between Netravathi Cabin and Central.

Divisional Railway Manager of Palakkad Division of Southern Railway Naresh Lalwani told that the division had been sending the proposal for line doubling and two additional platforms for the past many years.

As construction of two additional platforms did not get the Board’s nod, he revised the proposal seeking one platform this time and was able to get it sanctioned.

One additional platform does not require relocating of the existing two pit-lines [maintenance tracks], he said.

Mr. Lalwani said that since the construction wing of Southern Railway is expected to take up line doubling work, the same agency would take up additional platform work too. As such, signalling work too would be executed along with civil works in one package, he said.

The project is likely to be completed in about 18 months once taken up.

Asked about the number of additional trains that could be introduced after one more platform is added, Mr. Lalwani said that he is yet to work out the details.

Welcoming the allocation, Anil Hegde from Paschima Karavali Railway Yatrikara Sangha said that at least 10 new trains could be introduced from Mangaluru Central with the additional platform. At present, Central, with four platforms, handles 30 trains a day, including four halting and 26 non-halting trains.

The single line between Netravathi Cabin and Central and the limited number of platforms had affected introduction of more trains.