Karnataka   

Rail link project not yet on track

Chitradurga: During his visit to Chitradurga on February 10, Union Railway Minister Lalu Prasad promised to commence work on the railway link work between Chitradurga and Tumkur within a month.

He said at a public meeting that there was no dearth of funds, and that the railway link work would be taken up on a war footing.

But even after close to six months, the Railways have not commenced even survey work. A senior railway official told The Hindu that the department had not received any notification from the Ministry with regard to the project.

“We have not got any official communication regarding the project. Hence no work has started”, he said. He said that the railway line work between Tumkur and Raidurga would start this year as the survey work had been completed.

The project was estimated at Rs. 1,300 crore, for which land acquisition would commence this year, he said.

But no decision has been taken with regard to the railway link between Chitradurga and Tumkur.

The railway link is a long-pending demand of the people of the district. Once it comes up, it would reduce the travel time to Bangalore, and help in improving trade.

In the absence of a direct railway link between Chitradurga and Tumkur, those who travel from Chitradurga to Bangalore have to take the passenger train that passes through Holalkere, Birur, Kadur, Arasikere, Tiptur and Tumkur.

The distance between Chitradurga and Bangalore is about 190 km, but since there is no link between Chitradurga and Tumkur, the train has to cover about 340 km.

“The railway link would reduce travel time considerably”, said a member and activist of Railway Horata Samiti, S. Shanmukhappa.

The duration of the journey would come down from ten to three hours. It would also give a fillip to business since goods were now being transported in private vehicles at a high cost.

According to rough estimates, over 60 trucks transport the goods to Bangalore every day.

The transport charges could also be reduced if goods are sent by train. The rail link would also reduce the traffic congestion on the national highway.

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