PM Modi inaugurates ‘airport-like’ rail terminal in Bengaluru: Five things to know

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday, June 20, inaugurated the Sir M Visvesvaraya Railway Terminal in Bengaluru, which boasts of airport-like facilities. The terminal had been ready and awaiting inauguration for over a year, and the Karnataka government on June 6 had opened it for public use. On Monday, during his two-day visit to Karnataka, PM Modi inaugurated the terminal along with other railway infrastructure projects.

Here are five things to know about the first centrally air-conditioned train terminal in India: 

— The Sir M Visvesvaraya Railway Terminal has been named after the Bharat Ratna recipient and modelled after the Kempegowda International Airport. The terminal was built at a cost of Rs 300 crore and has an area of 4200 sq metres to cater for a daily footfall of 50,000.  

— It has seven platforms, eight stabling lines and three pit lines to enable it to operate 50 trains daily. There are six ticket counters, one of which is dedicated to individuals with disabilities.

PM @narendramodi unveils plaque to mark the dedication of Sir M Visvesvaraya Railway terminal, Bengaluru and various other projects to the nation pic.twitter.com/BrxI533kfY

— DD News (@DDNewslive) June 20, 2022

— The station has spacious parking to accommodate 250 four-wheelers and 900 two-wheelers. The terminal also has specialised parking spaces for buses. 

— The terminal also has a waiting hall, a VIP lounge and a digital real-time passenger information system, as well as a food court. It also has lifts, ramps and stairways connected to the subway, as well as a foot overbridge.

— There are also many posters with QR codes put up across the terminal to access sign language videos explaining the infrastructure of the station. It also has multiple free charging points available at every level. 

— It also has a centralised water harvesting system and a water recycling plant with a capacity of 4 lakh litres.