JOIN USNo announcement on railway connectivity to Kushalnagar from Mysore
The three-decade long demand for railway connectivity between Kushalnagar-Mysore has not been realised even in this budget. As a result, the hope of Kodagu district getting into the map of railways has not been realised.
It was after 19 years that a minister from Karnataka was presenting the railway budget and people had lot of expectations from him to Karnataka. The budget did not make any announcement on the laying of Kushalnagar-Mysore railwayline, thus disappointing the farmers, entrepreneurs, coffee growers and floriculturists of the district.
The survey for railwayline between Kushlanagar and Mysore was flagged off by the then Union Minister of State for Railways K H Muniyappa in 2011. He had promised that the survey would be completed in three to four months and the work will be commence within 12 months of the survey.
In fact, MP Vishwanath was speaking in length on the railway connectivity in the beginning. Later, he too had dropped the proposal. Though Kodagu is a small district, in the interest of the economy of the district, railway connectivity is essential. The district has been contributing to the state exchequer. The number of tourists who visit the district are on rise every year.
The railway connectivity will help the tourists to visit the district. The railway connectivity will promote tourism in the district. It will help in transportation of perishable commodities as well as coffee, pepper and cardamom. There is a great demand for flowers outside the district. Hence, introduction of trains will help in transporting flowers including anthurium to the markets outside the state.
The three-decade old demand has remained unfulfilled owing to lack of political will power. The demand for railway connectivity was raised when Gundu Rao was the Chief Minister in 1982.
Several surveys have been carried since then, said citizens . Speaking to Deccan Herald, District JD(S) President V P Shashidhar said even as an election gimmick, the budget could have given priority to the district. The budget will affect tourism sector of the district. Congress leaders are not committed to get a railway connectivity to the district.
Advocate R K Nagendra Babu said “the hopes of the people have been dashed to the ground. The railway connectivity would have helped tourism and business in the district.”