State’s express to nowhere

State’s express to nowhere
Bengaluru,


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The state is upset with the Centre for dithering on the railway projects announced for Karnataka. The Chief Minister has written to the Centre expressing his displeasure. But the proposals continue to remain on ice, reports Akanksha Mehrotra

The Union Railway Budget for 2009-10 has come as a disappointment to Karnataka with its plea for new trains on eight routes and new railway lines being ignored.
South Western Railways (SWR) officers say the state deserves more particularly as it is prepared to share 50 per cent of the cost of railway projects.

“The state has already got six projects in which its contribution ranges from 50 to 67 per cent of the cost involved. The Railways have appreciated the proactive role played by the state in the execution of these projects, but when it comes to sanctioning new rail lines or starting new train services, Karnataka is ignored,” the officers complain. All that Karnataka has got in the Budget are three new trains, including a Rajdhani Express. The new Bengaluru Rajdhani will run tri-weekly between Hazrat Nizamuddin in Delhi and Bengaluru via Kacheguda in Hyderabad. But this has not satisfied the state which had clearly explained its requirement to the Union railway ministry for new trains on eight specific routes. “Despite repeated requests the railway minister has not considered any of the projects or new trains the state had asked for,” say the railway officers Of the 43 new trains introduced by the Railways, only one, the Mysore-Yeshwanthpur Express may be of some use to the state. “The Mumbai-Karwar super fast train which has been announced passes through 20 km of the state benefiting one town. The rest of the line passes through Goa and Maharashtra,” the officers explain.

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