Strengthening of Mangalore- Bangalore section

Railway Board plans strengthening of Mangalore-Bangalore section: Kharge

Mangalore (MAQ): Union minister of railways Mallikarjun Kharge said that the ministry has plans to strengthen Mangalore-Bangalore railway line and introduce more trains on the route.

Kharge said that more trains could not be introduced on Mangalore-Bangalore route as there is a direction from the Railway Safety Commission, working under the administrative control of the Ministry of Civil Aviation of the Government of India. He was speaking after flagging off the inaugural specials of Mangalore Central-Madgaon Intercity Express, Mangalore Central-Kacheguda Bi-weekly Express and Mangalore Central-Bhatkal Demu Service at Mangalore Central railway station on Sunday.

“The Railway Safety Commission has directed the railway ministry not to introduce more than two passenger trains on Mangalore-Bangalore route citing the safety reasons. Hence, we have written to the commission seeking directions to strengthen the railway tracks and introduce more trains on the route. It is the commission which take a final decision on introducing trains, running speed and other safety aspects. The commission also has the power to suspend train operations if the railways fail to adhere to commission’s directions,” Kharge said.

He said that a report on transforming Mangalore Central, Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi and Kozhikode railway stations into World Class Stations has been submitted to the Railway Board by the Southern Railways. The ministry will sanction required funds for the purpose, Kharge said.

Mangalore Central Railway Station will soon have two escalators and two lifts exclusively for elderly, children and disabled. The ministry also has plans of introducing four trains to Jaipur via Karnataka from South India, he added.

Minister for forest, environment and ecology B Ramanath Rai, MPs Nalin Kumar Kateel, Jayaprakash Hegde, MLC Monappa Bhandary, MLAs JR Lobo, Mohiuddin Bawa and Southern Railway general manager Rakesh Misra were the guests.