Passengers drenched as renovated platform shelters in Subrahmanya Road railway station do not offer protection from rainwater

Rainwater falls on the platforms due to defective platform shelters at Subrahmanya Road Railway Station, which was developed under Amrit Bharat Station Scheme, at Nettana in Dakshina Kannada district of Karnataka, on August 18, 2026. | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT Notwithstanding the refurbished platform shelters at Subrahmanya Road Railway Station, passengers continue to get exposed to rain due to poor design of the shelters. The railway station in Dakshina Kannada district of Karnataka was developed under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme. Rain in Subrahmanya Road Railway Station Rainwater drenches the platforms of Subrahmanya Road Railway Station due to defective platform shelters that were built under Amrit Bharat Station Scheme, on August 18, 2026. The station is located in Dakshina Kannada district of Karnataka. | Video Credit: The Hindu Consequently, passengers boarding and deboarding trains at this prominent station get completely drenched during the rainy season. Located at Nettana in Kadaba taluk, about 12 km from Kukke Subrahmanya, SBHR predominantly caters to the pilgrims visiting Kukke Subrahmanya, Dharmasthala, and Southadka.People travelling by Bengaluru-Kannur, Bengaluru-Karwar, Bengaluru-Murdeshwar, Yevwantpur-Mangaluru Junction and Karwar-Yesvantpur, and Vijayapura-Mangaluru Central Express trains frequent this station in the Mysuru division of South Western Railway. SBHR receives rains for almost five months in a year.Work completed; not inauguratedWhile Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw had listed SBHR (₹23.73 crore) as one of the 12 stations out of 61 stations in Karnataka that was developed under Amrit Bharat Station Scheme (ABSS) in his recent reply in the Rajya Sabha, passenger associations claim that a lot of work is yet to be completed.Bantwal Railway Station in Mysuru division of SWR, which was also developed under the ABSS, was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi along with 74 other stations on July 17 whereas SBHR is yet to be inaugurated.The problem: Edge folding inwardPrasad K. G. Nettana, president of Subrahmanya Road Railway Balakedarara Samithi, told The Hindu that the edge of the platform shelter should have opened towards the railway track, thereby letting the rainwater drop on the tracks or on trains. Instead, the edges have been folded inward, which is directing rainwater towards the platforms. Passengers get drenched in rainwater while deboarding a train because of badly-designed platform shelters at Subrahmanya Road Railway Station. | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT He said when the issue was highlighted on social media during the second week of June, the Manager of Mysuru division had responded that the PF shelters have been built as per approved drawing by the Gati Shakti Unit (GSU), as ABSS work was handed over to PM Gati Shakti units of the Railways.The DRM said, “The issue of the impact of rain due to the edge portion folding inwards has been noted. The department concerned has been advised to take necessary corrective action at the earliest.”It has been two months since the DRM’s promise of corrective action, but none has been carried out, Mr. Prasad said. “Only a portion of the platform shelter was corrected, leaving a considerable length exposed to rains,” he said.When shown the video, Mysuru DRM Mudit Mittal told The Hindu, “On the job. Will be done shortly.” Published - August 18, 2026 02:32 pm IST