MANGALORE: Mangalore MP D.V. Sadananda Gowda apprised the Zonal Railway Users' Committee of the problems faced by commuters here at its meeting held in Chennai on Tuesday.

Speaking to The Hindu from Chennai, Mr. Sadananda Gowda said the meeting had a long session on the Mangalore rail section. He said he urged the committee to post Kannada-speaking staff at Mangalore and Kankanady stations.

The meeting took up the issue of closure of the level crossing at Alape-Bajal near Kankanady station. Mr. Gowda said he appealed to the committee to construct an over-bridge or under-bridge there. This will help the over 45,000 people in the eight villages in and around the station who often have to wait for a long time at the level crossing.

Mr. Sadananda Gowda said the committee members were shocked to learn that the gate at the level crossing remains closed for 612 minutes every day because 30 trains, including goods bogies, pass through it.

Also, the Kankanady station is used by trains for shunting and changing track.

Mr. Sadananda Gowda said the over-bridge project was estimated to cost Rs. 8.3 crores in 2001.

And Mangalore City Corporation paid the margin money of Rs. 2.5 lakhs.

It was agreed upon that the Railways will bear only 50 per cent of the total cost. To make things easier, the Corporation set aside Rs. 1.25 crores to lay a concrete road from National Highway 48 to the Kankanady level crossing.

The Corporation has estimated that the under-bridge will cost Rs. 1 crore.

The other issues discussed at the meeting included renaming of Kankanady station as `Mangalore Junction' and `Mangalore Railway Station' as `Mangalore Central.'

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