Despite a long cherished dream of Chikmagaloreans - a railway station in Chikmagalur- is all set for inauguration today, it is not devoid of political differences.
Opposition party leader at Legislative Council D V Sadananda Gowda has criticised the government’s decision to inaugurate the railway project on the birth anniversary of ‘a person’ who only gave assurance of Kadur-Chikmagalur railway project, but did not fulfill the promise.
D V Sadananda Gowda indirectly referred to former prime minister Indira Gandhi and criticised the Congress for choosing her birth anniversary day for inaugurating the railway project. He was addressing mediapersons at the district BJP office after visiting the newly constructed railway station in Hiremagalur in the city outskirts on Monday. “The government’s decision to inaugurate the railway station and railway track in a hurry has led to poor quality work. Several works including a ticket counter in the station is pending yet. The asphalt work too is of low quality,” he alleged.
Expressing happiness over the city getting a train connectivity, he said the work was delayed due to lack of interest shown from time to time. The inaugural programme which was supposed to be organised involving all political parties irrespective of the difference, has been portrayed by the Congress as a party programme. Railway department has not even extended invitation to the local MLA. Even the officers are acting unilaterally, he said.
Further, recalling the contribution of the BJP government towards the railway project, he said the State government had released fund for the project during BJP’s tenure. The BJP government had also taken steps to provide land for the project, Gowda said.
Giving credit to those who have worked for the project, he said the project got a speed when H D Deve Gowda was the prime minister. The then MP B L Shankar, D S Shrikantappa too had played a major role in initiating the work. The project received a major grant when NDA was in power in the Centre. The BJP government in the State had released Rs 100 crore for the project, but the Congress is portraying as though it is their contribution.
MLA C T Ravi who was in the press meet, alleged the Congress former prime minister Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi for not taking an initiative to start railway project in Chikmagalur.
He also demanded the government to release additional fund for laying foundation for Sakaleshpura train route without delay.