BENGALURU: South Western Railway is dragging its feet over automatic signalling and intermediate block signalling, even years after it was sanctioned.
While automatic signalling was sanctioned on Cantonment-Whitefield stretch in every Railway budget since 2013-2014 till the most recent 2017-2018, while intermediate block signalling was sanctioned as a part of the memorandum signed in January between the state government and the Railways for suburban rail service in the city.
"Automatic signalling on Cantonment-Whitefield section was sanctioned five years ago and is still not ready. In reply to my RTI they said it would not get ready till September, 2018. Both automatic signalling and intermediate block signalling should be taken up on a war footing. It will increase suburban capacity by 100%," said Sanjeev Dyamnavar, a rail enthusiast.
Trains could be run on time during peak hours, with the computerized system, he added. The estimates for automatic signalling is around Rs 12 crore.
As for intermediate block signalling an Urban Development Department document of Suburban Rail project, signed by the Under Secretary on March 6 stated, “Provision of intermediate block signalling between Krantiveera Sangolli Rayanna Station-Cantonment and KR Puram- Satellite Goods Whitefield station would cost Rs 8 crore."
Despite receiving State Government and Railway Ministry funding, the project has not taken off.
"The entire amount for suburban rail was sanctioned in February this year. Why could they have not finished automatic signalling in six months. These things could have been implemented 10 years ago and would have helped increase train frequency," Dyamnavar commented.
However SWR CPRO Vijaya said, “The detailed estimates for automatic signalling were finalised only in 2015.
We had to conduct site surveys, check the gradient which took time. It will be ready by March or in 5-6 months."
