Passengers have raised concerns over upkeep, accessibility and connectivity at Sir M Visvesvaraya Terminus (SMVT) in Byappanahalli, prompting South Western Railway (SWR) officials to record feedback during the Rail Jan Samvad programme in Bengaluru.
The passenger interaction was held at railway stations across the city, including KSR Bengaluru, where divisional railway manager Ashutosh Kumar Singh spoke with commuters. SWR officials documented the feedback and responses for internal consideration as the railway division evaluates possible improvements.
At SMVT, passengers complained about poor maintenance and limited access from parts of the city. Rail activist Krishnaprasad KN said the station had faced upkeep and accessibility problems since its inception. He also criticised its connectivity for residents of south Bengaluru and said cleanliness had deteriorated.
Singh said SMVT’s connectivity was not good enough but pointed to the proposed rotary flyover at IOC Junction as a project that could improve access to the terminus. The flyover is being developed by the Greater Bengaluru Authority, according to the SWR official. He said connectivity would improve once the project is completed.
The discussion also covered demands for more trains and additional railway infrastructure. Passengers sought new services towards Shivamogga and asked for more platforms at Yeshwantpur railway station. Additional platforms were also demanded at KSR Bengaluru, which handles a large share of the city’s rail traffic.
Singh said the introduction of new trains from KSR Bengaluru or Yeshwantpur depended on operational feasibility. The railway considers maintenance facilities, platform availability and other technical requirements before starting a service, he said.
The comments reflect the operational limits facing Bengaluru’s established railway terminals. Passenger demand for more services must be balanced against the availability of platforms and maintenance infrastructure at stations that already serve busy corridors. For commuters, the issue is therefore not limited to adding trains; access to stations, station upkeep and the capacity to handle additional services are also part of the city’s rail experience.
SWR is expected to use the feedback collected through Rail Jan Samvad for internal improvements. The timeline for specific changes at SMVT, KSR Bengaluru or Yeshwantpur was not stated in the report. The proposed IOC Junction rotary flyover remains the main connectivity intervention cited by the railway administration for SMVT.
