Kamal Ghorui
Mysuru: In a significant development for the city’s railway infrastructure, the Mysuru New Goods Terminal (MNGT) will remain at its current location, as the Railways have dropped earlier proposals to shift it to Yeliyur in Mandya district.Railway authorities have now decided to establish the proposed state-of-the-art Vande Bharat Maintenance Depot within the existing MNGT premises, citing the availability of sufficient land to accommodate both facilities.Earlier, officials in the Mysuru Railway Division had proposed relocating the goods terminal to Yeliyur to make way for a dedicated service station for Vande Bharat trains. However, the plan was reconsidered after Union minister of state for railways V Somanna firmly stated that MNGT should not be shifted under any circumstances.Following the minister’s directive, Mysuru Division divisional railway manager (DRM) Mudit Mittal confirmed that the Railways will proceed with a revised proposal to set up the Vande Bharat Maintenance Depot at the same site. The project, estimated to cost around Rs 400 crore, will be submitted to the Railway Board for approval in the coming days.The proposed depot will be equipped with advanced infrastructure, including pit line centres designed exclusively for servicing Vande Bharat trains. It will also house automated washing systems, specialised equipment and modern tools to enable efficient maintenance and repair operations. Once completed, the facility is expected to function as a comprehensive hub for train upkeep, including defect rectification, cleaning and routine servicing.“We have sufficient space at MNGT to accommodate the proposed Vande Bharat Maintenance Depot. Shortly, we will be presenting the proposal to the Railway Board,” Mittal told TOI.Officials believe that establishing a modern maintenance depot in Mysuru could pave the way for running additional Vande Bharat services across Karnataka, including enhanced connectivity to Mysuru. The move is being seen as a major boost to the region’s rail infrastructure and a crucial step towards strengthening high-speed rail operations in the state.
