Kodagu on railway map soon: Minister

The railway track laying work between Kushalnagar and Mysore will be complete within four years and Kodagu will gain its place on the railway map of the nation, said Union railway minister for state K H Muniyappa.

Speaking to media persons here on Sunday, he said the introduction of train in the district will help the citizens, soldiers, coffee growers, farmers and tourists. The blueprint for the railway track has been already prepared and the work is likely to begin in six months.

Chugging of the track in Kodagu would help not only the people for travel purpose, but also for transportation of coffee, cardamom, chilly, paddy, etc from Kodagu to outside regions and for importing fertilisers and other necessary products to the district. Transaction through railways would lead to cost cutting up to 80 per cent, said the minister.

He appreciated the efforts of local MP A H Vishwanath and former chief minister D V Sadananda Gowda in helping realise the dream of introducing train between Kushalnagar and Mysore. “As the state government is bearing 50 per cent of the expenditure in implementing the project, it was possible to take up the work and would help to complete the work quickly.

The Central government intends to provide railway connectivity to all backward districts in the state. The state government has been extending necessary help to implement railway projects, hence there would not be any obstacle in implementing all the 15 intended railway projects,” assured Muniyappa.

Explaining about the precautionary measures taken by the Indian Railways to avoid railway accidents, the minister said the Railway Department is contemplating to install ‘anti-collision devices’ to railway engines.

As the experiment has been successful in Konkan railways and in NE states, the department is planning to introduce it nation-wide. The system is helpful as the devise automatically stops the engine if two trains face each other on the same track, thus avoiding any collision, the minister said.

Mysore division officer V Sudhakar Nayak was present.