Samithi appeals Kharge to attach M'lore rail network to KRCL

It has been a long pending demand of KRCL since 1998

The Konkan Railway Corporation Ltd (KRCL) has been demanding the attachment of the entire Mangalore railway network to it since its inception in 1998.

However, the demand was never realised. Now, Rail Prayanikara Hitharakshana Samithi, Kundapur, has decided to give a boost to the demand and have already submitted a memorandum to Union Minister for Railways Mallikarjuna Kharge.

The Mangalore railway network is controlled by three zones - southern railways, south western railways and Konkan Railway Corporation Ltd. This has been posing operational difficilties and KRCL has not been able to start new trains to various destinations from Thokur.

In fact, the project report prepared for KRCL by Southern Railways had reckoned Mangalore Central and Panambur line (port) to the KRCL, according to KRCL Founder chairman and MD Sreedharan.

He had told the railway ministry in 1996 that “the railway board had fixed the jurisdiction of KRCL upto Ullal end of Mangalore bypass. Based on the jurisdiction, Southern Railway had formulated the project report for Konkan railways and the jurisdiction of this railway has been reckoned exclusively for Mangalore station fully extending on the Panambur line. On this basis, the traffic projections and working expenses had been worked out and the project viability was established”.

“Konkan railway is being executed on the BOT concept. It is therefore essential that the revenue of this Corporation are maximised. Extending the jurisdiction of Konkan railway by another 24 km on the Southern Railway section will go a long way in improving the viability of the Konkan railway project. Therefore, in the interest of the Corporation that the jurisdiction be shifted to Ullal to enable the corporation to earn revenue,” he had told Railway Board.

Based on the traffic movement, the Southern railways had prepared assessment for the KRCL, which is wrong when the Mangalore Central and Panambur line was not included in the jurisdiction of the KRCL, it is said. For the viability of a railway zone, passenger terminal station and port handling station are essential. The KRCL does not have both lines as it starts from Thokur. As a result, even after 15 years of its formation, the KRCL is unable to clear the loans raised. If Mangalore region is included, then it can expect more revenue, said members of railway passengers association.