Bangalore pins high hopes on rly budget

Rail passengers in the City have pinned high hopes on the Railway Budget to be presented by Railway Minister D V Sadananda Gowda on Tuesday.

The demand this time is to complete the ongoing projects rather than the priority for the new ones.

The ongoing projects were announced in the previous budgets and some have already crossed their deadline.

The Railways and the State government need to raise Rs 200 crore each to complete some of these projects which include expansion of City Railway Station, upgrading Baiyyappanahalli and Yelahanka stations, electrification and doubling of at least half a dozen lines, construction of rail under bridges (RUBs) and rail over bridges (ROBs).

According to estimates, the expansion of the City station costs Rs 80 crore, out of which Rs 20 crore has been released. Funds have not been released for the Rs 11-crore work on MEMU Suburban Rail Rake Maintenance shed at Banasawadi.

 The project should be completed by this year-end. Similarly, no money has been released for upgrading Yelahanka station. December 2014 is the deadline for this Rs 10-crore project.

The Chikkabanavara-Nelamangala-Hassan line is estimated to cost Rs 1,200  crore of which only Rs 750 crore has been released so far.

The project is being executed on cost-sharing basis between the Railways and the State government. Track has been laid up to Nelamangala.

The work on around 25 RUBs and ROBs is under progress at several locations in the City. The total cost of the project is estimated at Rs 420 crore of which only Rs 52 crore has been released till February 2014. The work is being executed on a cost-sharing basis between the South Western Railways and the State government.

Prakash Mandoth, former member of Zonal Railways Users’ Consultative Committee, SWR, Hubli, said that a third railway coaching terminal was badly required since Bangalore City and Yeshwantpur terminals had reached their saturation levels. He said one more terminal at Baiyyappanahalli was the need of the hour.

Funds for projects

“The ongoing projects need a big push. Huge funds, land are required to complete these projects. The State government and the Railways should provide at least Rs 750 crore each to keep these projects on track,” he said.

Sanjeev D of Praja, a non-government organisation, said that the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike and the Railways should resolve issues for expediting the ongoing projects.