RK Narayan's fictional Malgudi station to be a reality soon

Fans of the mischievous Swami and his friends from RK Narayan’s fictitious world of Malgudi, are in for good news. The Indian Railways plans to rename the Arisamala railway station in Shivamogga district in Karnataka as Malgudi railway station.

The Arisamala railway station was featured as the Malgudi station in the television adaptation of Narayan’s book ‘Malgudi Days’ which was a rage among children in the 80s and 90s when it was aired on Doordarshan.

Sources say, a ‘Malgudi Days’ museum will also be constructed near the railway station.

The plan to rename the station was confirmed by Shivamogga MP BY Raghavendra, who stated that there was a demand to rename the station after novelist RK Narayan’s imaginary town, Malgudi.

John Devraj, an artist, who is in-charge of the project said, he is trying to bring the station alive, like it was portrayed in the book.

The project is jointly funded by south-western railways and BY Raghavendra, the local MP and son of Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa.

An amount of ₹ 1.30 crore has been allocated for the makeover of the station through which five trains pass every day, by the Union Ministry of Railways.