The Hindu : Bellary-Sandur rail line to remain in Hubli Division

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Feb 18, 2004

Karnataka

Karnataka - Bellary

Bellary-Sandur rail line to remain in Hubli Division

By Our Staff Correspondent

BELLARY, FEB. 17. The Minister of State for Railways, Basanagouda Patil Yatnal, today ruled out any move by the Railways to tag the revenue-earning Bellary-Torangal-Sandur section of South-Western Railway to the proposed Gulbarga Division and make it part of South Central Railway.

He told presspersons here that there was no such proposal before the Railway Ministry. It had decided to retain the section in Hubli Division of the South-Western Railway. He alleged that some politicians were spreading such rumours. The demand to create a division in Gulbarga was a long-pending one and a decision on it was yet to be taken.

Mr. Yatnal said the South Western Railway had registered a 20 per cent growth after its formation. It would increase further once the Hubli-Ankola line was completed. All the 16 railway zones in the country were making profit.

He said the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) Government had ushered in a "rail revolution". It had taken up 230 pending railway projects at an estimated cost of Rs. 43,000 crore. The Centre aimed at completing the projects that had been launched within the next five years. The Railway Ministry proposed to float bonds to raise Rs. 25,000 crore to complete these projects. It had taken steps to realise the dream of the Prime Minister, A.B. Vajpayee, to provide rail connectivity to all taluks and had formulated a remote area rail connectivity programme for the purpose.

Another major programme of the Railways was to replace rails and strengthen bridges at an estimated cost of Rs. 31,850 crore by the end of 2013. The Centre had formulated a project to link metropolitan cities on the lines of the Golden Quadrangle Road Project. Rail Vikas Nigam Ltd. had been formed for the purpose. The Centre had sanctioned Rs. 15,000 crore for the project, he said.

The Minister said work on Hassan-Mangalore line, which provided a link to the Mangalore Port, was likely to be completed by December, he added.

Mr. Yatnal, who laid the foundation stone for a railway under pass to be constructed at Satyanarayanpet level crossing at an estimated cost of Rs. 7.5 crore, said the State Government should cooperate with the Railways to improve the railway network. The Railway Ministry was ready to take up new projects if the State Government came forward with proposals. There was no dearth of funds. The Railway Ministry had earmarked Rs. 430 crore to build bridges to ease traffic congestion at level crossings with 50 per cent contribution from the State Government.

Mr. Yatnal, who took exception to the absence of Ministers and elected representatives concerned at the function, said they could have proposed new projects to be taken up in the region.

The Railways was giving importance to bring down the accident rate and had created a Rs. 17,000-crore Railway Safety Fund, he added.

Somashekar Reddy, Bellary City Municipal President, urged the Minister to take steps to construct three more railway bridges in the city to ease traffic congestion.

He appealed to the Minister to introduce new trains towards Chennai and Mumbai via Bellary. Rajagopal, Divisional Railway Manager, welcomed the gathering.

Earlier, office-bearers of Bellary District Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and members of Railway Action Committee submitted memoranda to the Minister urging him to take steps improve railway facilities in the region.

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Bellary-Sandur rail line to remain in Hubli Division