Projects not on track yet

Projects not on track yet

August 19th, 2009
By Our Correspondent

Bengaluru, Aug. 18: Big promises, no show — at least for now. The new trains, better passenger amenities, upgraded world-class stations that had been announced in the Union railway budget 2009-10 are yet to taken up by the state railway department.
It has been almost two months since the railway budget was announced but no one has any inkling on when the plans will be put to action. Railway department officials say they cannot do anything unless the ministry approves the project.
“Projects that have been announced for the city are still under the scanner of the railway ministry. Once they finalise the projects, we will take up the work,” said a senior official of South Western Railway (SWR). “It will take a few months to reach a decision on the implementation as these are large-scale projects,” added the official.
The major projects that are in the offing for the city include revamp of the Byappanahalli and Bangalore City Stations into world-class stations. A SWR official has been assigned to coordinate the work at the City Railway Station. An open tender process will take place to decide the private partners for the project.
The Byappanahalli Station was visited by a Chinese team who were to make a model for the station.
“We don’t know the response of the team yet. The report is awaited and once the ministry of railways gets the detailed report, the project will be taken up and finalised,” said SWR officials.