Subrahmanya: The second largest railway station in Dakshina Kannada district is Subrahmanya cross road railways station, which exemplifies disorganization. Leaky platform during rains, roofless rest room, lack of lighting, and the list of problems keeps going.

Though this station connects and thousands of devotees visiting Subrahmanya Dharmasthala, it is clouded with major lack of basic facilities.

There is no proper facility available here for a traveler to protect oneself from rain and wind. There is no rest room for the normal travellers or for women. Therefore the traveler is compelled to seek rest on the cement bench place outside her and in the case of rains; the weary traveler must again seek shelter.

Though it is a railway station, there is no proper mobile network here. There is also the problem of low voltage and lack of lighting during the night. There is no proper drinking water facility on the platform. Due to the lack of proper care, the staff lodge has completely broken down. The ticket counter is on one side of the station master’s room and resembles more to a hen house.

There are 6 lanes at the station and since there is no over bridge and if the train stops on the third lane, the passengers are forced to cross tracks to board or alight from the train. In the past there have been incidents were passengers attempting to cross the tracks have lost their limbs. For senior citizens, crossing the tracks is more like am adventure sport they should not be trying.

Daily, there are close to 1,000 passengers that arrive to Subrahmanya cross road railway station. Passenger trains to Bengaluru, Yashvanthpura, Kaewar, Kannur, Mangaluru Express and Mangaluru-Subrahmanya pass through this station. Every day including goods train, 9-10 traisn pass through this route. Yet, the Department has taken no effort to provide basic facilities at this important railway station.

In 1964, a survey was conducted for the creation of a railway station at Kulkunda. Then, many had claimed that the creation of the railway station will adversely affect the temple. Later, the station was shifted 13kms far to Nettana. Currently, the devotees visiting the temple must inevitably make use of private vehicles to achieve it.

Presently, there was a ray of hope for the improvement of the railway station when Union minister D.V. Sadananda Gowda had become the railway minister. But ray extinguished itself.

There is an urgent need to upgrade this railway station as a tourist friendly railway station and to connect devotees between Bengaluru and Mangaluru, more trains should be provided.

“The railway stations in the country have modernized. But the state of that railways station is in complete disrepair. I have decided to complaint about this with the railway minister,” said Keshubhai Patel, a traveler.

“I have noticed the water leaking from the roof and it will be rectified,” informs K.P. Naidu, railway section engineer.