The little known Railway station

The City Railway Station at Majestic, the Cantonment Railway Station and the one at Yeshwanthpur are all very familiar landmarks of Bangalore.

Over the last few years, the Indian Railways have made a lot of effort to improve the railway station at Yeshwanthpur  and make it the second station next to Majestic for arrival and departure of trains.

Apart from these two stations, the Cantonment Station is one of the oldest and well-known stations of Bangalore and people traveling to Chennai use it frequently. There are a few other stations such as Yelahanka, Malleswaram, Bangalore, East and Banaswadi that are well-known as is the railway station at Krishnaraja Puram (KR Puram).

However, there is one railway station deep in the south of Bangalore that is not very well known. And the name of the station too is very peculiar and it is not easy to remember. Several trains to Tamil Nadu have started stopping here but this aspect is yet to catch the attention of travellers.

This is the small station of Karmelram or Carmeleram on Sarjapur road.  The Stations is just eight kilometers from HSR Layout and  Iblur on Outer Ring Road is six kms away as is Koramangala and Central Silk Board. The Wipro Corporate office is two kms away.
The BMTC stop at the village is just five minutes away from the railway station.

There is a story about how this place got its unusual name. In 1962, the Carmelite fathers of the Malabar province OCD purchased some land in the Chikka Bellandur village, off Bangalore-Sarjapur Road. They wanted to start a college of theology and also make this centre a place  for engaging in  mission work. Over the next few years, several Malayalee families of both Latin and Syro-Malabar lineage began to settle down in the area and the chapel of the Carmel came up. Slowly, the village came to be known after the Carmelites and today it is Carmelaram.
Many trains do stop at this station but it is only for one or two minutes. Passengers can buy local train tickets but reservation facilities are yet to be started. The station code is CRLM.
Some of the trains that stop here regularly are:
1. Yeshwanthpur to Hosur (7.25 am), Hosur to Yeshwanthpur (8.45 am), Yeshwanthpur to Hosur (3.50 pm). Hosur to Yeshwanthpur (6.25 pm).
2. Bangalore City to Salem (7. 50 am), Salem to Bangalore City (5.10 pm).
3. Yeshwanthpur to Salem (5 pm), Salem to Yeshwanthpur (9.10 am).
4. Dharmapuri to Bangalore (7.20 am), Bangalore to Dharmapuri (7.20 pm).
5. Mysore to Mayiladuthurai (7.35 pm), Mayiladuthurai to Mysore (4.20 am).
6. Mysore to Thothukudi (9.50 pm), Thothukudi to Mysore (4.50 am).
7. Bangalore to Ernakulam - intercity super fast (6.45 am). Tranis passing through Hosur stop here.

The railway staff here are very helpful. For more information you can call Carmelram railway station at 28441615.

Carmelaram is a small village in Varthur hobli on Sarjapur road. It is now a part of the BBMP.