‘Give us land, will finish track doubling fast’

Karnataka - Bangalore

‘Give us land, will finish track doubling fast’

Staff Reporter
Muniyappa asks State Government to hand over 120 hectares of land in Ramanagara and Mandya districts
— Photo K. Murali Kumar

More facilities: Union Minister of State for Railways K.H. Muniyappa (right) with Minister for Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Shobha Karandlaje at the newly built Kengeri Railway Station in Bangalore on Friday.
BANGALORE: Minister of State for Railways K.H. Muniyappa on Friday said early completion of the track doubling work between Bangalore and Mysore would depend on the expeditious handing over of required land in Ramanagara and Mandya districts by the State Government.

“The earlier they (State Government) hand over the land, the earlier we (Railways) will finish the project,” Mr. Muniyappa said after inaugurating the renovated “model station” building of Kengeri Railway Station here. Mr. Muniyappa said 120 hectares of land was required in these two districts for line doubling and there was enormous delay in acquisition.

“I have instructed officials to take up construction of bridges so that the work moves fast on the stretch,” the Minister said. He was responding to Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister Shobha Karandlaje’s plea to speed up the doubling work to accelerate development activities in and around Mysore.

Since construction of bridges took more time than laying tracks, the work had been taken up even before the lands have been handed over the Railways, the Minister noted. Stating that the United Progressive Alliance Government accorded top priority to common man’s travel, Mr. Muniyappa said various railway projects worth Rs. 1,026 crore sanctioned in the 2009-10 Railway budget for Karnataka would be completed by 2010-11.

The Minister assured to bring in more projects to the State.

Of the 10 model stations sanctioned for South Western Railway (SWR), six have been inaugurated. Two stations — Tumkur and Hindupur — will shortly be inaugurated, Mr. Muniyappa said. Similarly, the newly sanctioned trains will be flagged off in a phased manner soon by Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee, the Minister added.

Speaking to presspersons later, Mr. Muniyappa said there were plans to extend the Mumbai-Karwar train up to Mangalore. Also, the Yeshwanthpur–Salem-Kannur Express would be extended up to Mangalore, he said while justifying the extension of Yeshwanthpur-Mangalore express to Kannur and termed the same as a national integration move.

Demand
Speaking at the inauguration, Bangalore North Lok Sabha Member D.B. Chandre Gowda Ms. Karandlaje put forth several demands of the residents of Kengeri, which they represent in the Parliament and the Legislative Assembly.

The demands included construction of Rail Under Bridges (RUBs) and stoppage of all trains at Kengeri.

Chief Administrative Officer (Construction), South Western Railway S. Vijayakumaran, Divisional Railway Manager Akhil Agarwal, Additional DRM Ravi Valluri and other officials were present on the occasion.