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Eight new trains for Karnataka
Ajith Athrady,DH News Service,New Delhi:
The largesse for the State may have been made possible because of Minister of State for Railways K H Muniyappa. This year’s budget allots Karnataka around Rs 800 crore against last year’s Rs 325 crore for various civil works. A medical college will come up at Mysore Railway Hospital.
In Mamata Banerjee’s Railway Budget for 2009-10, Karnataka has received a fairly good share of projects, including new trains, sanction for upgradation of existing stations to international standards and a medical college.
The largesse for the State may have been made possible because of Minister of State for Railways K H Muniyappa. This year’s budget allots Karnataka around Rs 800 crore against last year’s Rs 325 crore for various civil works. A medical college will come up at Mysore Railway Hospital. It will cater to the children of railway employees and will be developed under public-private-partnership basis.
Modernisation of Bangalore, Byapanahalli and Mangalore into world class stations, introduction of ambulances services in Bangalore and setting up a burns unit in the Railways hospital in the State capital are additional projects.
New trains
But, the highwatermark for the State are the eight new trains which are: Bangalore-Hubli-Solapur Superfast (tri-weekly), Howrah-Bangalore Superfast (weekly), Mumbai- Karwar Superfast(tri-weekly), Hazrat Nizamuddin-Bangalore Rajdhani Express via Kacheguda (tri-weekly), Mysore-Yeshwantpur Express (daily), Shimoga-Bangalore Intercity Express (daily), Bangalore- Kochuveli Superfast (weekly) and Lucknow-Rae Bareli-Bangalore Superfast (weekly). But, the State was unlucky not to be given one of the “duronto” (high-speed)trains that Mamata announced in her speech.
At least three of the newly introduced trains – Bangalore-Hubli-Solapur superfast, Mysore- Yeshwanthpur Express, Shimoga-Bangalore Intercity – will help office-goers travelling to the State capital from neighbouring districts.
But the State’s longstanding demand to provide connectivity to north Indian pilgrimage sites like Hrishikesh-Haridwar has not been met.
The Railway Ministry’s decision to extend the Bangalore-Mangalore train to Kannur will disappoint the people of coastal Karnataka who have been demanding its extension till Karwar.
There is also no mention of the introduction of any day-train between Bangalore and Mangalore, which was expected. Muniyappa told reporters here that he would take up this issue with Banerjee.
Better connectivity
Only one station in Karnataka – Bidar – figures in the over 300 stations selected for development as model station.
Survey for laying tracks on eight new lines –– Chikaballapur-Prasanti Nilayam, Alamatti-Koppal, Yadgir Shahapur-Alamatti, Gadag-Haveri, and Shimoga-Harihar –– will, of course, provide better railway connectivity in the State.
The allocation for the track-laying project is only Rs 202 crores, but Muniyappa assured that the ministry would release more money for the work from next year.
He informed that Rs 98 crore has been allocated for guage conversion work, Rs 231 crore for doubling lines and Rs 11 crore for electrification. Besides, work on 23 new railway over-bridges have been sanctioned for an estimated cost of Rs 268 crores. On the track
* Survey work for new lines * Chikballapur-Sri Satya Sai Prashanthi Nilayam * Alamatti-Koppal * Yadgir-Shahapur-Shorapur-Muddebihal-Alamatti * Gadag-Haveri * Gadag-Wadi * Shimoga-Harihar * Nanded-Bidar * Anekal Road-Bidadi Bounty for State
Work of doubling: Yeshwanthpur-Yelahanka (12.07km): one crore allocated Yelahanka-Chennasandara (12.89 kms): one crore allocated.
Railway electrification:
Guntakal-Guty-Bangalore
Gauge conversion to be completed in 2009-10: Madanapalli Road-Dharmavam of Dharmavam-Pakala.
World class station:
Bangalore city,Baiyapanahalli, Mangalore
Model station: Bidar
Multi-function complex: Hubli,Mysore, stations will be developed as multi-functional complexes (MFCs). These station premises for providing rail users facilities like shopping, food stalls and restaurants, book stalls, PCO/STD/ISD/fax booths, medicine and variety stores, budget hotels,underground parking facilities.
Ambulance service in Bangalore station: Medical College to come up in Mysore railway hospital.
Setting up burn units in Bangalore railway hospital.
Railway Wheel Factory, Bangalore production target has been increased to two lakh wheels in 2009-10 against 1,96,261 wheels.
23 new railways over bridges and under bridges sanctioned for the year 2009-10 and Rs 268 crore sanctioned for this project.
Yeshavantapur - Mysuru train is already running. The train which leaves BNG City station at 15.05Hrs daily comes from Yeshavantapur only. First priority should be given to complete the works on hand like Gulbarga - Bidar, Hassan - Bengaluru, Kotturu - Harihara etc. Second priority is to reduce the distance between major cities.
We need a circular railway around Bengaluru to reduce traffic congestion in the city. Conncet Krishnarajapuram, Hosakote, Devanahalli, Nelamangala, Magadi, Bidai, Kanakapura & Krishnarajapuram
Dear Sir
Instead of extending Bangalore - Mangalore express to Kerala why cant extend any of 5 ( 4 already running + 1 announced this budget ) Trivandrum - Mangalore express to Yeshwantpur ?
Thereby Mysore, Mandya districts will get direct connection with major cities and towns in Kerala at the same Mangalore passengers will get day time connection with Bangalore. I think Our MOSR Muniyappa can consult with MOSR Ahmed in this aspect.
MANJUNATH
Mangalore
dear sir,
since we are celebrating around nearly 62 years after independence the people of bidar takes nearly 20 hours to travel 600 kmtrs by train from bangalore to bidar in karanataka is it justifiable with the development of indian economies speed. and its being done since 1956.
please do the needfull. and there must a direct train from Bangalore to Hyderabad non stop.
Dear friend,
ARE WE REALLY INDEPENDENT?????
INSTEAD OF BEING SALVES TO BRITISH, WE ARE SLAVES TO OUR OWN MINISTERS AND BUREAUCRATS.
DO NOT INDULGE IN DAY DREAMING!
GOOD LUCK
