Model rly station opens at Kengeri

Tumkur and Hindupur stations will be inaugurated shortly

Kengeri has been upgraded to a model station at a cost of Rs 80 lakh. The make-over includes improved circulating and concourse area, parking space and installation of ATMs. It is one among the ten model stations planned for Karnataka. “Tumkur and Hindupur model stations will be inaugurated within one or two months,” he said.

Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister Shobha Karandlaje, speaking on the occasion, said all trains except Shatabdi can give a stoppage at Kengeri as it will not cause any additional expense.
“An underbridge between Kengeri and its satellite town will help in easing the traffic in a big way. Besides, steps should be taken to supply Cauvery water at railway stations to solve water crisis. Railway stations should be well developed and connectivity to Ramnagaram, Mandya, Srirangapatna, Mysore and Madikeri should be improved to develop them into tourist hotspots,” she said. 

Track doubling

Muniyappa told reporters that the doubling work between Ramnagaram and Mysore will be completed within three years.

He said the State government has to hand over 300 acres of land to facilitate its completion. “The project cost works out to Rs 500 crore, of which the State will contribute Rs 320 crore and the Centre would fund the rest,” he said.

Steps will be taken to have a stoppage for the Tippu Express (Bangalore and Mysore) along with three to four more trains at Kengeri. We have also written to the Railway Board seeking permission for the Mangalore-bound train to halt at Kengeri, he added.
He said, a Railway Under Bridge (RUB) will come up at the Kengeri-Ring Road intersection for which BBMP will contribute Rs 11 crore. Besides, Rs 8 crore has been sanctioned for constructing an RUB at Durgapalya. 

On the proposed new track between Hubli and Ankola, Muniyappa said, he had held two rounds of talks with Minister for Forests and Environment Jairam Ramesh. “We have been asked to realign the track and are working it out,” he said. 

Bullet train

Muniyappa said that no final decision has been taken by the Railway Board with regard to the introduction of a bullet train between Chennai and Mysore via Bangalore. “It needs different tracks and the speed of the train should touch 300 kms/hour.  We have to think of the cost involved and whether we can afford it,” he said. 

The eight trains announced in the budget for the State will be flagged off by Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee shortly, he said.

A sum of Rs 1,026 crore has been sanctioned for different railway projects in the State, he added.