Bangalore East railway station

Bengaluru East railway station, also known as Bangalore East railway station (station code: BNCE), is an old British-era railway station surrounded by Pottery Road, Kumaraswamy Naidu Road, Murgesha Mudaliar Road and Kenchappa Road. It is a small quaint station located in Fraser Town, Bangalore Cantonment. This station is very convenient for residents traveling towards or returning from Kolar Gold Fields or Madras. Express and Mail trains did not stop here until the 1920s. The station is now renovated with a larger platform. Adjacent to the railway station is the Bangalore East Football Grounds, which nowadays is more used for playing cricket.^[1][2] Well-known cartoonist Paul Fernandes remembers as a young boy befriending train drivers at this station and getting grease for his bicycle.^[3]

Bengaluru East Beṅgaḷūru Pūrva Bengaluru Poorv
Indian Railways station
WAP-7 Royapuram skipping this station
General information
Location	Pottery Road, Fraser Town, Bangalore Cantonment India
Coordinates	13.0008518°N 77.6164147°E / 13.0008518; 77.6164147
Elevation	915 metres (3,002 ft)
Owned by	Indian Railways
Operated by	South Western Railway
Line(s)	Chennai Central–Bangalore City, Bangalore–Kolar Gold Fields
Platforms	2
Connections	Fraser Town, Cox Town, Cooke Town
Construction
Parking	Yes
Other information
Status	Running
Station code	BNCE
Zone(s)	South Western Railways
Division(s)	Bangalore
History
Opened	1906
Electrified	Yes
Services
Preceding station Indian Railways Following station Bangalore Cantonment towards Bangalore City South Western Railway zone Chennai Central–Bangalore City line Baiyyappanahalli towards Yelahanka Junction, Salem Junction, Jolarpettai Junction or Chennai Central

History

Aerial view of Bangalore East railway station

According to the 'List of Mysore Residency records, from the year 1880–1947', the Bangalore East railway station was constructed in 1906, on the Bangalore–Madras railway line. At that time, the trains from Madras terminated at the Bangalore Cantonment railway station, in Bangalore Civil and Military Station which was controlled by the British Madras Presidency. The Bangalore City station in the Bangalore Pete (under the control of the Maharaja of Mysore), was used to connect to Mysore State.^[4] The railway line has existed since starting operations in 1864, with the launch of the Bangalore Cantonment–Jolarpettai train services by the Madras Railway. The train line was broad-gauge and 149 km long, connecting the Bangalore Cantonment with Vellore district.^[5]

Recent developments

Recently in a bid to give a face-lift to the Bangalore East Railway Station, the Indian Railways started five new booking counters at the station.^[6] As the Express trains do not halt at this station, there has been a long-standing demand from residents of the surrounding suburbs of Fraser Town, Cox Town, Bharathinagar, Sevanagar, Jeevanahalli, Banaswadi and Kammanahalli, for all trains to stop at this station. As they are being forced to use the Bangalore Cantonment railway station, which is located at a distance.^[7]

Station Layout

This station consists of 2 platforms and 2 tracks which are connected by foot overbridge for passengers to board the express trains and MEMUs. These platforms are built to accumulate 24-coach express trains.

G	North Entrance Street level	Exit/Entrance & ticket counter
P	FOB, Side platform | P2 Doors will open on the left (Used for MEMUs and Express trains)
	Platform 2	Towards → Jolarpettai Junction / MGR Chennai Central next station is Baiyyappanahalli
	Platform 1	Towards ← KSR Bengaluru next station is Bangalore Cantonment
	FOB, Side platform | P1 Doors will open on the left (Used for MEMUs and Express trains)
G	South Entrance Street level	Exit/Entrance & ticket counter

Gallery

• 
  Bangalore East railway station. The original British period stone building.
• 
  Bangalore East railway station, ticket counter. The original British period stone building.
• 
  Bangalore East football ground
• 
  Bangalore East railway station
• 
  Bangalore East railway station, board
• 
  Bangalore East railway station, pedestrian crossing

References

1. Patrao, Michael (19 May 2008). "Reminisces of the Raj". No. Bangalore. Deccan Herald. Archived from the original on 23 December 2014. Retrieved 23 December 2014.
2. "Bangalore East railway station". The Hindu. No. Bangalore. 19 July 2012. Retrieved 7 November 2015.
3. Rizvi, Aliyeh (5 July 2013). "No apologies for memories here". The Hindu. No. Bangalore. Retrieved 29 December 2014.
4. List of Mysore Residency records, from the year 1880-1947: Volume 2 of Catalogue of Records. India: Karnataka State Archives. 1973. p. 298. Retrieved 18 February 2015.
5. R, Sunitha Rao (20 October 2011). "Bangalore Metro launch: Bangalore heard a train whistle first in 1864". No. Bangalore. Economic Times. Archived from the original on 24 October 2011. Retrieved 8 May 2015.
6. "Five new booking counters at Bangalore East". The Hindu. No. Bangalore. 26 June 2011. Retrieved 7 November 2015.
7. "Residents seek halt for express trains at Bangalore East". The Hindu. No. Bangalore. 11 March 2011. Retrieved 7 November 2015.

External links