Bangalore-Mangalore train service may be delayed

Bangalore-Mangalore train service may be delayed

Special Correspondent

It is purely because of technical reasons, says Sriramulu

‘Private bus operators’ lobby not behind

the delay’

Commissioner of Railway Safety inspected the stretch in April

BANGALORE: Commissioning of the passenger train service between Bangalore and Mangalore is likely to be delayed due to technical reasons.

Minister for Infrastructure and Tourism B. Sriramulu told presspersons on Wednesday that the Commissioner of Railway Safety (Southern Region) had submitted a report to the Railway Board suggesting some improvements on the safety front before the operation of train services between two cities started.

Earlier, the Minister held a meeting with officials of the Infrastructure Department and Railways (South-Western Region) and handed over a cheque for Rs. 13.50 crore to the Railways for construction of 45 railway underbridges and overbridges in the State.

“The issue is before the Railway Board. The board should give the green signal for commissioning of services.” To a question, Mr. Sriramulu said the private bus operators’ lobby was not behind the delay. The reasons were purely technical, he said.

The Commissioner of Railway Safety had inspected the stretch in April. The gauge conversion work however, took a very long time. The work was completed in 2005.

The State Government has requested the Railways to commission high speed passenger trains between Hubli and Bangalore and between Hubli and Pune for the benefit of people of north Karnataka. The Railways had agreed to undertake the feasibility study for commissioning the services, Mr. Sriramulu said. The meeting also discussed the progress of Sholapur-Gadag, Kottur-Harihar, Shimoga-Talaguppa, Ramanagaram-Mysore gauge conversion works. The Government had urged the Railways to share the cost of Kottur-Harihar gauge conversion equally.