Karnataka   

Deshpande writes to Defence and Railway Ministries

Karwar: Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president R.V. Deshpande has in letters to the Defence and Railway Ministries urged for the establishment of a civilian airport at project Seabird of the Navy at Karwar and sought the laying of the Ankola- Hubli railway line.

In his letter to the Defence Ministry, Mr. Deshpande has said that the State Government had, on demand from the general public and in the interests of the overall development of the region, requested for a civilian airport and the Defence Ministry had agreed to take it up.

The second phase of project Seabird was sanctioned and the Defence Ministry had urged the State Government to acquire land as the runway will have to be extended by 1,000 meters. The State Government had agreed to acquire the land.

Mr. Deshpande said that he had spoken to Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel in the matter and Mr. Patel had promised cooperation in setting up the airport.

Mr. Deshpande urged the Defence Minister to consider the establishment of the civilian airport at the Seabird project, which would open the gateway for tourism, industries, agriculture and horticulture in the coastal area.

In the other letter to Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee, Mr. Deshpande has sought the setting up of the railway line between Ankola and Hubli, whose foundation stone was laid by then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in 1999. This link line would be of vital importance as it will be a direct access to the project Seabird, nuclear project of Kaiga, Belekeri port and also for the development of tourism in the region.

Mr. Deshpande said that more than two crore tonnes of iron ore was being exported from Belekeri and Karwar ports and that lorries carrying iron ore had damaged National Highway Nos 63 and 17. If the railway line is set up, the number of road accidents would drop. Mr. Deshpande requested the Minister to consider the railway line on priority in the budget and release the maximum outlay.

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