JOIN US 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
* Bangalore-Hubli-Solapur Superfast (tri-weekly)
* Howrah-Bangalore Superfast( Weekly)
* Mumbai-Karwar Superfast (Tri-Weekly)
* Hazrat Nizammudin-Bangalore Rajdhanai Express (Tri-weekly) via Kacheguda
* Mysore-Yashwanthpur Express (Daily)
* Shimoga-Bangalore Intercity Express (Daily)
* Lucknow-Rae Bareli-Bangalore Superfast ( Weekly)
* Bangalore-Kochuveli Superfast (weekly) via Jolarpet
* 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.