CIRCULAR RAILWAY -Karnataka

THE HINDU

Thursday, Oct 28, 2010

‘Circular rail proposal before Railway Board'

Staff Reporter

It envisages a 240-km rail network around Bangalore city

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Doubling of Bangalore-Mysore rail line work to be completed by mid-2012

Railway Ministry to complete projects planned under cost-sharing with State within five years

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Bangalore: The State Government's proposal to build a 240-km circular rail network around Bangalore city is before the Railway Board, said Union Minister of State for Railways K.H. Muniyappa.

Speaking to presspersons after holding a quarterly review meeting of the South Western Railway here on Wednesday, Mr. Muniyappa said that he would ask the railway officials to examine the State's proposal and give priority to it.

Bangalore-Mysore line

On doubling of Bangalore-Mysore railway line, the Minister said that the work would be completed by mid-2012. “The work on doubling of about 19 km from Ramanagaram to Mysore will be completed by December. Almost 50 per cent of the work on constructing bridges across rivers near Srirangapatna and other locations is complete and the entire work is expected to be completed in another 18 months,” Mr. Muniyappa added. The work on laying a railway line between Nelamangala and Shravanabelagola, as part of providing the shortest rail link between Bangalore and Mysore, would start as soon as the State Government hands over a piece of land belonging to Kunigal Stud Farm, as the dispute over this is almost resolved and the Railways does not have to make major changes in the original alignment of the track. “The new track will be laid within two years from commencement of work,” he added.

Cost-sharing

Mr. Muniyappa said that the Ministry of Railways has decided to complete the railway projects planned under cost-sharing with Karnataka within five years.

He said 12 projects taken up under cost-sharing between the Railways and the Karnataka Government were under various stages of implementation.

While Kuttur-Harihar railway link will be completed by March 2011, Kadur-Chickmagalur line will be ready by March 2012, and the entire stretch of Shimoga-Talaguppa line will be completed by December this year.