# Bengaluru 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. Well-known cartoonist Paul Fernandes remembers as a young boy befriending train drivers at this station and getting grease for his bicycle.

## History

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. 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.

## 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. 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.

## 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) | FOB, Side platform | P2 Doors will open on the left (Used for MEMUs and Express trains) |
| P | Platform 2 | Towards → Jolarpettai Junction / MGR Chennai Central next station is Baiyyappanahalli |
| P | 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

Some of this railway station pictures are shown below:-
* 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
* Aerial view of Bangalore East railway station
* Bangalore East railway station, board
* Bangalore East railway station, pedestrian crossing