Mysore Railway Station, which comes under the South Western Railway has received Tourist Friendly Railway Station Award for the year 2011-12. The award is part of National Tourism Awards given every year by the Ministry of Tourism. Mysore station has been given this award in recognition of its passenger amenities and tourist attractions it houses.
The station is a heritage marvel. The magnificently lined Corinthian columns make this rail station a landmark in the city of palaces. The station was designed by famed architect D V Narasimha Rao (1889-1975), the founder member of renowned engineering institute, National Institute of Engineering (NIE) in Mysore, and completed in early 1900. The station is part of the glorious past of Mysore State Railway (MSR).
Nearly one hundred years old, the partly two-storied architectural splendour has many passenger friendly modern facilities and amenities.
The tourist friendly infrastructure at Mysore Railway Station includes battery-operated buggy service, passenger care centre, Wi-Fi connectivity, integrated security system, multiple option mobile battery charges, giant screen, executive lounge, waiting rooms, upgraded retiring rooms, display infotainment system, touch screen kiosks, dynamic queue management system, amenities for physically challenged, onboard audio-video infotainment system, free emergency medical care centre and closed circuit TV with LCD screens. Tourist attractions at the stations include model Railroad layout, heritage photo gallery, and the Rail Museum.
The station has evolved a good system of providing information to tourists through a well managed website and Tourist Information and Facilitation Centre at the station.
The station handles around 27,000 originating passengers every day and generates an annual revenue of Rs 50 crore.
Division Railway Manager (DRM) of Mysore Railway Division, Vinod Kumar, received the award from the President of India at Vigyan Bhawan on Monday.