Karnataka - Bijapur   

Broad gauge project to be completed by March-end

Staff Correspondent

Track is almost ready between Bijapur and Telgi

GETTING READY: The broad gauge line between Bijapur and Telgi

BIJAPUR: A joint undertaking filed by the South Western Railway (SWR) and the State Government before the High Court on Wednesday has rekindled the hope about Bijapur-Gadag broad gauge line becoming operational at least up to Bagalkot soon.

While disposing off the public interest litigation filed by Vishwanath Bhavi, a resident of Bijapur, the Division Bench comprising Chief Justice N.K. Sodhi and Justice N. Kumar asked the SWR and the State, respondents in the PIL, to expedite the gauge conversion project.

The joint memo filed by the respondents, according to advocate G.S. Kannur appearing for the petitioner assured the court that the gauge conversion up to Bagalkot will be completed by the end of current financial year ending March 2006.

However, on the remaining stretch between Bagalkot and Bijapur, the respondents only said that talks are being held about the modalities of cost sharing and a decision will be taken shortly, Mr. Kannur told The Hindu over phone from Bangalore.

Gauge conversion on the 300 km Hotgi (Sholapur)-Gadag line via Bijapur and Bagalkot started in the early 1990s and work was completed up to Bijapur in 1998.

However, work started stalling on the 192-km stretch between Bijapur and Gadag owing to poor budgetary allocation, and in 2001, the Railways and the State came to an agreement to execute the project jointly by signing a cost sharing agreement.

Local MP Basanagouda R. Patil Yatnal tried to expedite work on the project when he was the Minister of State for Railway for seven months. The plan was re-scheduled so as to be completed by March 2005. Inputs such as rails and sleepers started flowing in but project was put on backburner with the change of guard at the Centre.

Though much behind its schedule, the broad gauge track is almost ready between Bijapur and Telgi (45 km stretch). Sleepers and rails have been laid and the fitting works have also been completed.

Deputy Chief Engineer (Construction), SWR, Saibaba, told The Hindu that only packing work and signal installation are to be done on this section and are expected to be completed by the end of November.

However, according to sources, the Railways is unlikely to run trains on this soon to be completed section immediately. Train services may start only when entire line between Bijapur and Bagalkot is over.

With regard to work on Telgi-Bagalkot section, sources said a major portion of rails required are already at site and the shortfall (rails) is just 1,400 tonnes. However, little has been done to speed up the supply of sleepers. There is wide gap between demand and supply of sleepers all over the country, and they are supplied only to those projects having political patronage. Unless the supply of this critical input is ensured, the SWR may not be able to meet the deadline, sources added.

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Broad gauge project to be completed by March-end

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