Railway development in Karnataka [Archive]

xetairex

September 11th, 2009, 06:25 PM

yes arul.......may be he has done his bit.......

but its a bitter fact that we have only 40 kms of electrified track...:bash: whats your take on that.......??

So Akash, you are in agreement with me that state of electrification and doubling is dismal compared to almost any other state in India. However, if people who are the customers stay silent, would the ministers and other leaders pro-actively do something?
I know that IR is a hive of wretched politics and corruption, but with this same IR, other states have managed to get a better share. Think about that for a moment. All things being equal, if people stay silent, it's never going to happen, is it. If there's enough demand and enough protests (as everything in India seems to get noticed only after protests and picket lines) May be, just may be there's a glimmer of hope.
I am not just saying this because of poor rail infrastructure in Karnataka, I love Railways, and it's by far the most efficient and comfortable way to travel on this planet, if the railway is *done right*. (straighter, high speed tracks, electrified lines etc)
Karnataka has always struck me as being a bit strange in this regard, with people either prepared to fly or drive, but never considering the third option. It's probably chicken-and-egg thing: Not enough railway infrastructure, so public apathy about railways increases, and vice-versa.
However, something *could* be done to change this status-quo. That's the hope anyway.

xetairex

September 11th, 2009, 06:33 PM

^^

Akash,

I agree Karnataka had a bad railway infrastructure that other 3 states in south. The track density in Karnataka state is very less when compared with TN&Kerala.

But when you say about railway minster Jafer shariff, he did many good things! If i am correct Karnataka was able to achieve 100% broad gauge lines when compared to other states (still TN, AP, Kerala have MG) well before 2006, it is because of the minsters performance and plan for uni-gauge policy.

And even there are half a dozen new line projects. This link will help.

http://www.indianrailways.gov.in/Budget_2009-10/Works/SWR/SW-Assets.pdf

It was Jaffer Sharief who belatedly reset the dismal record of Karnataka railway infrastructure, but as good as that effort was, it was not nearly enough. Why?
I offer the following hypotheses: People in Karnataka have this attitude: I want a railway line to *my* town however small my town might be. So you end up meeting all kinds of small demands like Talguppa line, connecting Wadi to Gadag etc. The main artery lines which should be doubled and electrified, keep getting negelcted for decades on end. Look at the railway map of India provided by Indian Railway website. The only big region in India without a red (i.e: 'major') railway line is the heart of Karnataka. However, we have all kinds of feeder lines existing and new ones being proposed in this state.
I am not against connecting various parts with single lines, but let's get real: feeder lines serve a small part of the population while speedy connectivity gets worse due to the very presence of these lines! (increased congestion due to more trains serving these small towns).
However, as is typical, very little thought goes into planning for future infrastructure in Railways, it's always politics, politics, and politics.
Very sad state of affairs.
Then you have newspaper reporters who blithely claim 'karanataka has wlays had good rail infrastructure..' and there you have the complete story.

engineer.akash

September 11th, 2009, 06:58 PM

xetairex

September 11th, 2009, 07:44 PM

any major infrastructure in our state thrives basically on public private partnership....but very little headway is made in the central funded projects....its pretty obvious to note that.......... a congress govt at the centre would wholeheartedly never fund a BJP ruled state.......... such is the state of affairs in our country.....dirty vested politics at all levels.........

its just that we kannadigas have learnt to live with the step motherly treatment meted out to us by the center.....

we have a pathetic sore rail infrastructure but nevertheless we boast of the best luxury trains in the world "the golden chariot"............:lol:

That's just the way it goes with politics. However, I would term 'learning to live with the way things are' as accepting bad policies and unfair treatment.

We could raise our common voice and also do a bit better planning: Instead of 10 feeder lines, one double line to connect ends of the state, to begin.

engineer.akash

September 11th, 2009, 08:07 PM

xetairex

September 11th, 2009, 08:24 PM

^^ur arguments seem very much valid......but how and where to get our voice/opinion registered?? who will take note of it....even if we go out on a march protesting/demanding better rail infra...who the hell will care....??....we will only invite policemen with lathi's :lol:

Hell I can't even go on a march, I am in the US for the past 16 years. I have some ideas though - there could be a website, a plan to collect like minded citizen's signatures on a petition, invite the attention of press... lots of things could be done.
Personally I am doing it out of vested interest - I admit to liking trains, especially electric trains!

sudheeshnairs

September 11th, 2009, 08:57 PM

sudheeshnairs

September 11th, 2009, 09:01 PM

engineer.akash

September 11th, 2009, 09:02 PM

xetairex I appreciate the keen interest you have shown in this regard........many pro Kannada groups have tried their best in resorting to protests and a bit harsher methods to bring to notice the plight of our infrastructure..........but all efforts in vain................things are just not happening for our state in the railway department.......

engineer.akash

September 11th, 2009, 09:09 PM

Not always my dear friend, bus services like Airavat are ok for say Bangalore-Mysore. But to connect Belgaum, any day a train would be better. Nothing like travelling in a train when you have to spend some 15+ hours of over night journey.

Also the development of railway infrastructre helps in freight traffic as well as lessen the traffic load on roads.

sudeesh I hail basically from belgaum.......I know the difficulty in using railway to belgaum from mysore...I would prefer bus services as it would cut down the time and is more comfortable.....upto hubli the railway line is fine...from hubli to belgaum one cant just cut thro...given the londa/khanapur dense forests which the rail has to pass thro.....which increases the distance to belgaum from hubli by about 70 KM....

engineer.akash

September 11th, 2009, 09:13 PM

belgaum has good bus service/road connectivity to the state capital and mysore....

Volvo's from bangalore to mumbai run thro belgaum.....there is a volvo from mysore to pune...via belgaum....and also there are rajhamsa executive bus services to belgaum from mysore.....

xetairex

September 11th, 2009, 10:46 PM

sudeesh I hail basically from belgaum.......I know the difficulty in using railway to belgaum from mysore...I would prefer bus services as it would cut down the time and is more comfortable.....upto hubli the railway line is fine...from hubli to belgaum one cant just cut thro...given the londa/khanapur dense forests which the rail has to pass thro.....which increases the distance to belgaum from hubli by about 70 KM....

There's been some suggestion to straighten the line between Belgaum and Dharwad. I agree it's asinine to have to spend 3 hours by rail between Dharwad and Belgaum, while by road i's just an hour. See, the railway line was diverted in the interests of making connectivity to Goa better, not to serve the needs of an artery line :-) (I know, I complain a lot, but just look at the pathetic state of this line!)
I originally hail from Dharwad, by the way.

xetairex

September 11th, 2009, 11:02 PM

I have changed the name of thread.

Railways play an important role in the development of a place and of course Karnataka needs to get a better deal.

The major cities of the state are not yet connected well by railways.

Bangalore and Mysore still have only single non electrified railway connection, the cities are only 140 kms apart, whose doubling and electrification works should have completed well before.

The connection of the Capital with the port city Mangalore is also pathetic. Only recently the single track railway line was opened.

The satellite terminal of Bangalore, Yeswantpur is yet to get electric traction.

Agreed with all, except one: YPR just got electrification. Why: They couldn't store all the electric locos at SBC anymore! :lol: Actually, I exaggerate - there may be more to it. They are now talking about doubling between Yelahanka, Channasandra and YPR.

I bet you that electrification to even Tumkur which is just 60 KM away is 10 years away if left to the powers-that-be to do what-they-will. :bash:

engineer.akash

September 11th, 2009, 11:58 PM

I originally hail from Dharwad, by the way.

:)

xetairex the core of the problem is the petty feud between the ruling center and the opposition ruled state govt when it comes to implementation of huge projects........I will not blame our CM Yeddi here....he did his best to meet the union ministers before the budget was tabled......he did meet mamta baneerji to put his views/suggestions ..

he greeted his staunch rivals Veerpa Moily and Malikarjuna Kharge in New delhi after they assumed power at the center keeping all the political feuds at bay...............that is what is expected from a good leader........

but at the end of the day it was mamta who called the shots......its time for the central leaders to take up the issue at appropriate levels and ensure some stuff in the next budget at least...........

xetairex

September 12th, 2009, 12:36 AM

:)

xetairex the core of the problem is the petty feud between the ruling center and the opposition ruled state govt when it comes to implementation of huge projects........I will not blame our CM Yeddi here....he did his best to meet the union ministers before the budget was tabled......he did meet mamta baneerji to put his views/suggestions ..

he greeted his staunch rivals Veerpa Moily and Malikarjuna Kharge in New delhi after they assumed power at the center keeping all the political feuds at bay...............that is what is expected from a good leader........

but at the end of the day it was mamta who called the shots......its time for the central leaders to take up the issue at appropriate levels and ensure some stuff in the next budget at least...........

Take a look at Mamta Banerjee. Does she come across as someone dynamic, open to suggestions, or even sympathetic to causes outside West Bengal? :lol: When it comes to rail projects, it's like New Delhi first, Calcutta next, Mumbai and the rest of North after that, then the rest. Within the rest, Karnataka is last! :bash: Why? god knows! If one were to draw conclusions purely by looking at the railway map of India, one would get the impression that Calcutta is the second most important city in India followed by Mumbai.

God knows when these Yokels will wake up and smell coffee: dynamics have changed. Calcutta is old news. Bangalore, Mysore, Hyderabad are all growing cities, and Hubli-Dharawad are growing fast, needing urgent upgrade of transportation facilities. I don't moan the expressway between Bangalore and Pune though: I think that's fantastic, and fits the needs of this region.

engineer.akash

September 12th, 2009, 12:42 AM

^^ is it that we have an efficient and well organized roadway services.....due to which the people are not feeling the lacunae.......i personally feel so....

xetairex

September 12th, 2009, 12:54 AM

^^ is it that we have an efficient and well organized roadway services.....due to which the people are not feeling the lacunae.......i personally feel so....

Efficient to a certain extent. I heard that the NH-4 freeway is not all in good shape between Hubli and Bangalore (when I visited India in December 08). Plus, as you get to the Bangalore city outskirts, you basically crawl for an hour or two to reach your final destination. Which is why, I thought it was cool to be out of Bangalore in 10-15 minutes traveling by Rani Chennamma express to Dharwad during my visit. No fuss, no jams.
As for other National highways in the state, well, are they up to the same quality as NH-4 connecting Pune and Bangalore? Mind you, I find even the expressway between Mysore and Bangalore tedious to travel by, as there are no on-off ramps to the few major towns along the way. Instead, the expressway goes right through the town center, leading to major slowdowns. That's not good planning!

engineer.akash

September 12th, 2009, 01:03 AM

engineer.akash

September 12th, 2009, 01:07 AM

coming to the ramps on and off to towns....may not be feasible on a state highway with intricate problems like land acquisitions,alignment etc..etc....

xetairex

September 12th, 2009, 01:23 AM

i would like to stress upon one thing here....every infrastructure project is unsuccessful without incorporating the social engineering...what i mean to say is that if the expressway doesnt pass thro even major towns between mys and bang its a sheer waste of money and a case of perfect unplanned project..........when will such towns get connected which will act as satellite towns/buffer to the major cities in the making like bangalore or mysore in future.......why should the residents of mandya be denied the facility>???....mysore bangalore expressway is a state highway 17 which is financed by the GOvt of Karnataka........

NICE a private consortium is anyway coming up with an expressway bypassing such towns.....:)

ultimately, your purpose is to connect point A to B as fast as possible. Making on/off ramps will not only keep all intermediate points connected, it will keep A and B connected efficiently as well. I understand, this is an issue in India with all projects, but how else will India become as good as say China? Everything has a price.

Krishnamoorthy K

September 13th, 2009, 06:48 AM

Shimoga: The much publicised introduction of the Intercity fast train between Shimoga and Bangalore appears to be delayed indefinitely going by the remark by the Senior Divisional Commercial Manager of the Mysore Railway Division Anup Dayanand Sadhu here on Saturday. Mr. Sadhu who was here to inaugurate the advanced railway reservation through credit cards at the Shimoga Railway Station told presspersons that “it will certainly be introduced. It is only the question of time”.

He also hinted that the train might be introduced after the completion of the track doubling work between Arsikere and Birur.

He admitted that there was a delay in the completion of the development of the railway station and hoped that the work on it would be completed expeditiously. Mr. Sadhu asked the people to make use of the new facility for the advanced reservation introduced not only at the railway station but also at a new centre opened on the Kuvempu Road. He said that this facility was being introduced at the post offices too.

Source: The Hindu (http://www.hindu.com/2009/09/13/stories/2009091358470300.htm)

I suggest thread to be restricted to the discussions of projects within Karnataka only. All interstate projects should be discussed in India forum level to avoid clashes among forumers from different states in this thread. Of course you can not avoid hot discussions among forumers from different districts or cities of Karnataka.

Arul Murugan

September 14th, 2009, 03:37 AM

yes arul.......may be he has done his bit.......

but its a bitter fact that we have only 40 kms of electrified track...:bash: whats your take on that.......??

That is really bad. But the priority of projects should be like this

1. Gauge conversion
2. Doubling
3. Electrification.

I guess SWR is having this priority, they are almost done with first one and 2nd one is progressing for important main lines from Bangalore. I hope 3rd one will take off soon.

SR and SCR was not like that. They still have MG lines, but they went for electrification of lines before putting all the lines to broad gauge.

xetairex

September 14th, 2009, 06:13 AM

That is really bad. But the priority of projects should be like this

1. Gauge conversion
2. Doubling
3. Electrification.

I guess SWR is having this priority, they are almost done with first one and 2nd one is progressing for important main lines from Bangalore. I hope 3rd one will take off soon.

SR and SCR was not like that. They still have MG lines, but they went for electrification of lines before putting all the lines to broad gauge.

hi Arul,

That's a good guess. I hope they (SWR) actually have that as a plan
of action.
(with all these feeder lines choking the artery line they'll be forced
to double them, only it'll take like 10-20 years!)
SR and SCR Might not like SWR tactics but I never guessed there's
inter zonal rivalry to that extent.

ajay ramchandran

September 16th, 2009, 04:15 PM

The day train service will boost the already buoyant tourism industry ’
‘M’lore to have world class rly station’
Mangalore, Aug 29, DH News Service:

''Mangalore Central Railway Station is one of the three railway stations which is proposed to be developed as ‘World Class Railway Station’, the other two being Byapanahalli and Bangalore City,'' said Union Minister of State for Railways K H Muniyappa.

Speaking at the flagging off ceremony of the newly introduced Mangalore - Yeswantpur Tri-Weekly Day Express (6516/6515) at Mangalore Central Railway Station here on Saturday, Muniyappa said that 50 railway stations in the country will be developed as World Class Stations and 375 stations will be upgraded into ‘Adarsh Stations’ with basic facilities. The new initiatives like Multi Functional Complexes at Railways Stations will offer variety of facilities under one roof at selected stations, he added.

The introduction of new express service between Mangalore and Yeswantpur via Sakleshpur - Hassan - Tumkur will serve as a vital link between cities that boast of rich historic, cultural and spiritual heritage, Muniyappa said adding that the service will give a further boost to the already buoyant tourism industry and promote the economy of the region.

‘Trains have no regional bounds’

Muniyappa clarified in his speech that trains introduced by Indian Railways will have no regional bounds. “A train is an asset of the nation. It may run in Karnataka or may be extended to other states. We cannot fix regional limitations on a train,” Muniyappa said hinting that trains can be extended to any destinations.

‘Realisation of day dream’

Union Minister for Law and Justice M Veerappa Moily said that the introduction of a day train between Mangalore and Bangalore is a realisation of a day dream. “Railway is the visible face of the government. The Railway Ministry under Mamta Banerjee contemplating on growth not only in terms of economic viability, but also based on the social commitment,” Moily said.

He said that the Railway Ministry will also consider the demand for Super Fast train between Mangalore and Karwar. He assured that a meeting of senior officials in the Central government will be convened to discuss various demands of the people in the region.

‘Separate Mangalore from Palghat’

Udupi-Chikmagalur MP D V Sadananda Gowda urged that the railway stations in Mangalore should be separated from Palghat division. Further talking about the proposal of extension of Bangalore - Mangalore night train to Kannur, Gowda said that the benefits sanctioned for the region should not be snatched through the decision.
He also demanded that a day train should be introduced between Mangalore and Karwar route.

MP Nalin Kumar Kateel, Mangalore City Corporation Mayor M Shanker Bhat, Coastal Karnataka Development Authority Chairman B Nagaraj Shetty, MLC Prathapchandra Shetty, MLAs B Ramanath Rai and U T Khader were present.

‘Integrated security system’

Railways will introduce an Integrated Security System at the Mangalore Central Railway Station soon. Delivering the keynote address, Southern Railways General Manager M S Jayanth said that the security system comprising CCTV, access control equipment, personal and baggage screening and detection and disposal system will be introduced at Mangalore Railway Station at an estimated cost of Rs 3.5 crore.

Jayanth said that the Ministry has given top priority for Southern Railways with regard to development. While 69 trains are being introduced to various destinations across the nation, 19 trains were made available to Southern Railways, he said.

Southern Railways has recorded an all time high earning in the passenger revenue by achieving 20 per cent growth in 2008-09, Jayanth said. The number of passengers has shot up from 48.4 crore in 2005-06 to 68.5 crore in 2008-09, he added.

He said that the doubling of Mangalore - Shornur route and the construction work of new
bridge across Netravathi River is expected to be completed before March 2010. Similarly, the track between Mangalore and Panambur will be doubled at a cost of Rs 150 crore, he said and added that an extra pit-line has been sanctioned for Mangalore Railway Station.

xetairex

September 17th, 2009, 06:39 PM

Krishnamoorthy K

September 17th, 2009, 07:28 PM

This post is from Karnataka main thread.

BANGALORE: July 5, 2009: Karnataka has received projects that entail an expenditure of Rs 1,026 crore in the Railway budget 2009-10. In the previous fiscal, this figure was Rs 680 crore.

A day after presentation of the Indian Railway budget, Union Minister of State for Railways K.H. Muniyappa on Saturday claimed credit for getting Rs. 346-crore more this year for completing the ongoing rail projects such as Talaguppa-Shimoga, Kottur-Harihar and track doubling works on the outskirts of Bangalore.

The minister who arrived to Bangalore on Saturday morning, told reporters that a proposal has been made in the state budget for taking up survey of nine new lines including one electrification project covering 1,104 km in Karnataka.

Work on the 97-km Shimoga-Talaguppa project would be completed in one year. The Kottur-Harihar line would be ready by March. The BJP Government in Karnataka has to give its share of Rs. 100 crore, he said.

The railway ministry has earmarked Rs.1,026 crore ($214.5 million) for various projects in Karnataka for the current fiscal, up from Rs.680 crore in 2008-09, he said.

This is the first time in a decade that the ministry has allocated over Rs.1,000 crore in a fiscal for various projects in Karnataka.

The state government is also giving a budgetary support of Rs.243 crore for the ongoing projects, Mr Muniyappa said.

The Minister said the Railways was getting an annual income of Rs. 3,035 crore from the State in terms of passenger and freight traffic as against its expenditure of around Rs. 700 crore.

Of Rs. 543.36 crore for the on-going projects, the new lines would get Rs. 202.58 crore, gauge conversion Rs. 98.06 crore, doubling work Rs. 231.24 crore and electrification of Guntakal-Gooty-Bangalore section Rs. 11.48 crore.

The 12.07-km Yeshwantpur-Yelahanka line would be given Rs. 27.23 crore and the 12.89-km Yelahanka-Chennasandra line Rs. 37.82 crore.

On the criticism of Mr. Yeddyurappa and H.N. Ananth Kumar, MP, he said the United Progressive Alliance Government had not favoured the State with more railway projects as politically motivated.

About the Bangalore-Mysore doubling work, Mr. Muniyappa said that around Rs. 80 crore had been spent on Mysore-Ramanagaram stretch.

A Senior Railway official said that 23 bridges, including 10 in the city, would be built during the coming financial year. The six-lane Benniganahalli bridge on Old Madras Road would be ready by next June with openings on both the sides.

On the inordinate delay in completing the double line between Bangalore and Mysore (160 km), Mr Muniyappa said due to some monuments of Tipu Sultan and Hyder Ali at Srirangapatna coming in the way, civil works have been held up between Ramanagaram and Mysore.

With the Cauvery river and its tributaries flowing across the route between Mandya and Mysore, construction of new bridges and widening of the existing single track is also taking enormous time, he said.

According to a senior South Western Railway (SWR) zone official, of the total project cost (Rs.500 crore) for the double line, Rs.350 crore has been earmarked for the massive civil works and about Rs.150 crore for electrification.

Among the projects at various stages of completion in Karnataka are Gadag-Bagalkot gauge conversion, Shimoga-Talguppa line, Gulbar-Bidar line, Munirabad-Mehboobnagar line, Mysore-Chamarajanagar and Hassan-Mangalore line.

Source: Mangalorean (http://mangalorean.com/news.php?newstype=broadcast&broadcastid=133380)

Raw deal for K'tka in rail budget: CM (http://mangalorean.com/news.php?newstype=broadcast&broadcastid=133191)
"The state government is focusing on developing tier-II cities and other destinations due to increased commutation and travel for employment and education. There is a need to expand train network to meet the demand," Yeddyurappa said.
Leaders rave and rant (http://www.expressbuzz.com/edition/story.aspx?Title=Leaders+rave+and+rant&artid=89sRIiE1vQY=&SectionID=7GUA38txp3s=&MainSectionID=fyV9T2jIa4A=&SectionName=zkvyRoWGpmWSxZV2TGM5XQ==&SEO=railways,%20budget)
Except starting of few trains and upgrading three railway stations in the state, nothing positive was seen.” Announcing for survey of the new line between Gadag- Haveri, Shimoga-Harihar, Almatti-Koppal and Gadag- Wadi is just an eye-wash, as they will take another several years for implementation, the Dharwad MP Prahlad Joshi said.
Medical college adds shine to Mysore (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Cities/Bangalore/Medical-college-adds-shine-to-Mysore/articleshow/4735629.cms)
Hubli has only Inter-City to cheer (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Bangalore/Hubli-has-only-Inter-City-to-cheer/articleshow/4735630.cms)
The people of Hubli, the headquarters of South Western Railway zone, have been demanding direct trains to Mumbai and Kochuveli, a day train to Pune and slip-coach facilities to Mangalore via Arsikere. But the budget failed to have any of them.
Other considerations for the state are multi-purpose complexes providing shopping malls and budget hotel facilities at Hubli and Mysore, Adarsh (ideal) station at Londa, and a railway medical college at Mysore.
Shimoga not too happy with allocation (http://www.expressbuzz.com/edition/story.aspx?Title=Shimoga+not+too+happy+with+allocation&artid=ao86DOGOudI=&SectionID=7GUA38txp3s=&MainSectionID=fyV9T2jIa4A=&SectionName=zkvyRoWGpmWSxZV2TGM5XQ==&SEO=shimoga,%20railways,%20budget)
Shimoga-Bangalore intercity train is sanctioned there is no mention of connecting the Shimoga-Talaguppa railway line to Konkan railway and the intercity train between Shimoga and Mysore. Shimoga and Harihar line only survey approved. Other demands not fulfilled are overbridges at the level-crossings on the Shimoga-Harihar and Shimoga-Chitradurga roads, besides extension of the old railway platform in Shimoga railway station.
Chikmagalur disappointed with railway budget (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Mysore/Chikmagalur-disappointed-with-railway-budget/articleshow/4738636.cms)
Only Rs. 5 crore released for Kadur-Chikmagalur railway line where as estimated cost has now been revised at Rs 108.17 crore.
Mangalore: Kanara Chamber of Commerce Petitions Railway Minister (http://www.daijiworld.com/news/news_disp.asp?n_id=62160&n_tit=Mangalore%3A+Kanara+Chamber+of+Commerce+Petitions+Railway+Minister+)
“We are apprehensive of a substantial reduction of seat quota to Mangalore in view of the extension… and we fear that it will not arrive at Mangalore Central...
Day train to Mangalore soon (http://www.deccanherald.com/content/11895/day-train-mlore-soon.html)
State minister for railways Muniappa has told that day train to Mangalore will start within a month.

Krishnamoorthy K

September 17th, 2009, 07:32 PM

Karwar: Prabhakar Rane, former minister, has urged K Maniyappa, the Union Minister of State for Railways, to take steps for extending the services of Bangalore-Mangalore day express to Karwar.

In a letter addressed to the minister, Rane said that the coastal region of the state included Udupi and Uttara Kannada also. It was not confined to Dakshina Kannada district alone. Moreover, the district head quarters of Karwar was about 550 km away from the state capital by road. The rail link could reduce this distance. He pointed out that the rail link between Karwar and Bangalore was a necessity for Uttara Kannada district. Stating that injustice had been done to the district in the matter of providing rail link all these years, Rane insisted to extend Bangalore-Mangalore day train facility to Karwar also.

Taking strong exception for the delay in the implementation of long pending Hubli-Ankola railway track covering a distance of 18 km from Hubli to Kalghatgi had already been laid as part of the project. Moreover notification for the land acquisition had been issued in Ankola taluk officials, but still the project had been staled by the Ministry for Environment and Forests on the pretext that it would destroy a large forest Stating that many national projects had been established in and around Karwar, Rane had urged minister to take up Hubli-Ankola railway project immediately. This would help further development of Karwar port, he added.

Source: SahilOnline (http://www.sahilonline.org/english/news.php?catID=coastalnews&nid=6385&viewed=0)

Krishnamoorthy K

September 21st, 2009, 06:24 AM

Mangalore, September 20: According to Railway Department the distance of night train between Mangalore- Bangalore is 502 kms and distance of day train is 451 kms.

But this distance is incorrect. The Railway Department is misguiding the passengers by increasing 56 kms. The real distance between Mangalore – Bangalore is 452 kms and 395 kms through Arasikere route.

The Railway Department by doubling the distance from Subramanya road to Sakaleshpur has showed the distance as 111 kms. The ticket issued to the passengers also includes the distance as 111 kms in it. The real distance is 55 kms. By showing false distance every passenger has to pay Rs.10 extra for 56 kms. Now the day train ticket fair is Rs.101 and night train ticket fair is Rs.224.

Source: Udayavani (http://www.udayavani.com/showstory.asp?news=0&contentid=697682&lang=1)

Krishnamoorthy K

September 22nd, 2009, 04:28 PM

HUBLI: It has been more than two months since the minister of state for railways K H Muniyappa promised at a press conference in the presence of South Western Railway general manager here that the Bangalore-Hubli inter-city express would be extended up to Dharwad from July 1. But the promise remains just that.

Source: TOI (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/news/city/hubli/Dharwad-awaits-extension-of-inter-city-express/articleshow/5010937.cms)

Krishnamoorthy K

September 25th, 2009, 05:29 AM

Railway Minister likely to visit State in October, says Muniyappa
She is likely to flag off eight train extensions announced in the Budget
Survey for direct railway line from Hubli-Dharwad to Belgaum under way

HUBLI: Union Minister of State for Railways K.H. Muniyappa has said that several pending issues and new proposals would be taken up for discussion during Union Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee’s forthcoming visit to Karnataka, which is likely in October.

Addressing presspersons in Hubli on Thursday, Mr. Muniyappa said that Ms. Mamata had agreed to visit Karnataka to flag off eight train extensions that were announced in the Budget. The occasion would be used to apprise her of the pending projects and new proposals.

He said that Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa had come forward to share the cost of railway lines where the rate of returns was less. He had already written to the Union Government on taking up Shimoga-Harihar and Kolar-Bangalore lines on a cost-sharing basis.

“But apart from these, there are several other routes like Davangere-Tumkur and others which require cost-sharing by the State, and these proposals would be taken up during the discussion with the Chief Minister. The viable projects would be taken up on the basis of cost-sharing by the State,” he said.

Hubli-Ankola

Mr. Muniyappa said that he had taken up the issue of long-pending projects — like Hubli-Ankola and Talaguppa-Honavar, which had been held up owing to lack of environmental clearance and other technical issues — with the Union Minister of State for Environment and Forests Jairam Ramesh, and apprised him of the need for clearing the projects.

He said during the first meeting several issues had been discussed and it had been agreed to take up the issue again in the next meeting scheduled in October.

Keen

“One thing is clear, Railways is very keen on implementing these projects and we will make all efforts to get them implemented,” he said.

The Minister said the people of Belgaum region had demanded a direct railway line from Hubli-Dharwad to Belgaum and a preliminary survey on the route was under way.

Similarly, there were other proposals which would be discussed in detail during Ms. Mamata’s visit and during the meeting with the Chief Minister, he said.

Intercity

Regarding extension of Bangalore-Hubli-Bangalore Intercity Express trains to Dharwad, the Minister said that soon the service would be launched, but he didn’t specify the period.

Source: The Hindu (http://www.hindu.com/2009/09/25/stories/2009092554610500.htm)

What about Mysore - Bangalore rail doubling?

Hubli-Ankola railway line: MP wants Centre to put work on fast track (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/news/city/hubli/Hubli-Ankola-railway-line-MP-wants-Centre-to-put-work-on-fast-track/articleshow/5052459.cms)

xetairex

September 25th, 2009, 07:22 AM

Source: The Hindu (http://www.hindu.com/2009/09/25/stories/2009092554610500.htm)

What about Mysore - Bangalore rail doubling?

Hubli-Ankola railway line: MP wants Centre to put work on fast track (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/news/city/hubli/Hubli-Ankola-railway-line-MP-wants-Centre-to-put-work-on-fast-track/articleshow/5052459.cms)

I think doubling will take place within 2 years, as well as electrification.

Regarding the Belgaum direct line from Hubli - this is what I refered to earlier. This direct line will save atleast 1.5 hours from a Bangalore to Belgaum journey!!!
(coz it takes roughly an hour to reach Belgaum by road from Dharwad)

I think SWR is going in the right direction here - just wish they executed faster.

Really - the line from Belgaum to Bangalore is not that curvy if this direct line to Belgaum is taken up - doubling should produce average speeds of 70 Kph for fast trains on this line.

sudheeshnairs

September 25th, 2009, 09:48 AM

xetairex

September 25th, 2009, 07:19 PM

Is it? eventhough electrification works are in progress I do not think it is commissioned yet.

Some days back also I was driving by the railway line road behind Brigade Gateway, saw only the poles.

http://www.irfca.org/gallery/openline/DSC00947+_1024x768_.JPG.html

YPR got this quickly, due to (I think) them running out of space where they could keep idle electric locos in the Bangalore railway station yard.

They are talking about the next phase of electrification to be the Bangalore - Dharmavaram single line now.

Krishnamoorthy K

September 28th, 2009, 10:03 AM

Government of Karnataka proposes to implement Suvarna Karnataka Development Corridor Programme in the State. This Corridor envisages development of large Industrial nodes and Industrial Areas along National Highways and Laterals, as well as Rail lines. Broadly development is proposed to cover regions spread over Bangalore-Bidar via Bellary, Tumkur-Honnavar via Shivamogga and Chitradurga-Mangalore via Udupi, as these have links with District Headquarters and State Headquarters.

Government of Karnataka intends to engage a Programme Management Consultant (PMC) for planning development of Investment Regions across the Corridor.

Source: KIADB (http://www.kiadb.in/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=63&Itemid=47), DIC (http://www.karnatakaindustry.gov.in/suvarna-kar.html)

Good railway service is needed along all proposed industrial corridors. NH-4 is the national corridor - important one. Not sure on priorities of other corridors. I have added Bangalore-Mysore also. I think even Bangalore-Hassan-Mangalore railline should be doubled & electrified. Hubli-Karwar connection to Konkan rail is an obvious gap. Mysore-Hassan-Chikamagalur-Shimoga is another gap.

In the picture below corridors are marked brown. Existing/proposed airports are marked red.

http://img16.imageshack.us/img16/6366/karnatakaindustrialcorr.jpg (http://img16.imageshack.us/i/karnatakaindustrialcorr.jpg/)

Muniyappa seeks early transfer of land (http://www.hindu.com/2009/09/27/stories/2009092754420500.htm)

engineer.akash

September 29th, 2009, 11:53 PM

Rly Minister reviews works in City
Bangalore, Sep 28, dhns:

Union Minister of State for Railways K H Muniyappa on Saturday reviewed the progress of ongoing construction work at flyovers, Road Underbridges (RUB) and Road Overbridges (ROB) at different parts of the City.

Accompanied by Railway and Corporation officials, he visited Hebbal Cross, Banaswadi, Lingarajapuram, Kanakanagar, Sultanpalya and Byappanahalli. BBMP Joint Commissioner Maheswar Rao assured that the BBMP would release funds for the RUB to be constructed at Lingarajapuram shortly. The BBMP would submit a detailed project report to the Railways for its approval within a couple of days, he added.

The railways and residents of Lingarajapuram have been on a collision course ever since the unmanned level-crossing on the Hennur Main Road was sealed following an accident. The residents have demanded that the crossing be opened while the Railways has assured the construction of an RUB to facilitate the public.

http://www.deccanherald.com/content/27743/rly-minister-reviews-works-city.html

engineer.akash

September 29th, 2009, 11:56 PM

In the picture below corridors are marked brown. Existing/proposed airports are marked red.

http://img16.imageshack.us/img16/6366/karnatakaindustrialcorr.jpg (http://img16.imageshack.us/i/karnatakaindustrialcorr.jpg/)

Good work Krishnamoorthy...........

Krishnamoorthy K

September 30th, 2009, 04:30 PM

Slightly older news.

HUBLI: It's official now. The people of Dharwad will have to wait indefinitely to board the Inter-City Express.

Minister of state for railways, K H Muniyappa, was on Thursday non-committal on the extension of services of Bangalore-Hubli Inter-City Express to Dharwad. The minister, who had promised to start the services within a month during his previous visit to the city in July, only said that it will be extended. He gave no specific date.

When pressed, the minister gave an evasive reply: "It would start before my next press meet in Hubli."

Bangalore-Sholapur train in Oct

Muniyappa said railway minister Mamata Bannerji will flag off the Bangalore-Sholapur (via Hubli, Bijapur and Bagalkot) and Shimoga-Bangalore Inter-City trains in the first fortnight of October.

The survey for new railway lines between Belgaum-Dharwad and Mysore-Mettupalyam (via Kollegal) is in progress, he added.

Regarding Hubli-Ankola, Talguppa-Honnavar and Mysore-Mettupalyam trains, the minister said he had spoken to environment minister Jairam Ramaesh who has promised to relook into the proposals which demands large-scale deforestation.

He said the railways is keen to take up Hubli-Ankola and Talguppa-Honnavar projects. "I have tried to convince Jairam about the need to link these places for the development of the regions," he added.

Source: TOI (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/news/city/hubli/Minister-non-committal-on-extension-of-train-service/articleshow/5052556.cms)

I think currently only Mangalore-Hassan connection is through western ghat. The demand are there already for two more namely Hubli-Ankola, Shivamoga-Talaguppa-Honnavara. Demand for additional two may be coming up Shimoga-Udupi, Mysore-Medikeri-Mangalore???

sudheeshnairs

October 7th, 2009, 05:21 PM

The link is not opening..

Are you sure that the work is over? Have you been to the station recently?

I had this doubt since I remember seing the work incomplete a few months back while driving by the side of the railway track.

Last time I boarded a train from YPR was during April 09. That time work was not complete. Not remember seing any electric loco too. Anyway now it is about six months more, so might have completed it.

Will check next time I drive to Yeswantpur.

http://www.irfca.org/gallery/openline/DSC00947+_1024x768_.JPG.html

YPR got this quickly, due to (I think) them running out of space where they could keep idle electric locos in the Bangalore railway station yard.

They are talking about the next phase of electrification to be the Bangalore - Dharmavaram single line now.

Krishnamoorthy K

October 10th, 2009, 06:55 PM

Good work Krishnamoorthy...........

Thanks Akash. Now I prepared another one showing sea ports, air ports and planned expressways and industrial corridors.

I have taken expressways inputs from Kewl Batty's posts #482 (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showpost.php?p=43940112&postcount=482) & #483 (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showpost.php?p=43940530&postcount=483) in Infrastructure & Transportation > Highways and Bridges > Indian Expressways Thread - News, Pics & Discussion (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=663116&page=25) thread.

The other inputs are from following news articles.

Maritime Board to tap potential of Karnataka’s coastline (http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2009/03/16/stories/2009031650381200.htm)
Singapore, Paris firms keen on state airports (http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/singapore-paris-firms-keenstate-airports/372264/)

http://img66.imageshack.us/img66/3428/karnataka.jpg (http://img66.imageshack.us/i/karnataka.jpg/)

I have added BMIC in green, other extra expressways & raillines suggestion in orange. Aiports are shown as red squares. Sea ports are shown as blue squares.

I think eco sensitive western ghats have to be saved from too much road networks & industrialization. But, for better hinterland and port connectivity a few expressways and railway lines are a must.

ADB, Japan help Karnataka's 10yr 'Road Network Plan' (http://www.adb.org/Media/Articles/2009/13031-indian-highways-developments/)
As mentioned in the news Karnataka is to come up with a road network plan. KPWD is the executing agency. Mostly they will involve CISTUP also? My hope is that along with Road Network Plan they would also come with a proper plan for other modes of transportation and entire development vision.

Birur railway junction without facilities (http://www.deccanherald.com/content/28547/birur-railway-junction-facilities.html)

engineer.akash

October 10th, 2009, 07:44 PM

A great master plan there krishnamoorthy :cheers:

however the industrial corridor must connect hubli - belgaum and then to bagalkote.......

and the extra route connecting mysore and madikeri is awesome I traveled some months back.......

Krishnamoorthy what are the singapore and french firms eyeing on in the aviation sector any idea.???

Krishnamoorthy K

October 10th, 2009, 09:54 PM

^^ No idea on Singapore and Frech people.

Hubli Belagaum belongs to National Industrial Corridor of Golden Quadrilateral. Mumbai-Chennai is the corridor. Both G-Q, N-S/E-W are National Industrial Corridors. Other Expressways are also Industrial Corridors including BMIC.

engineer.akash

October 10th, 2009, 09:57 PM

the airport at raichur is just an airstrip ?? not a full fledged airport...?

engineer.akash

October 12th, 2009, 02:24 PM

A consultant to be appointed in six weeks to assess the cost estimates
Initial report on Byappanahalli station submitted
S Lalitha, Oct 11, Bangalore:

A small step has been taken in the direction of developing Byappanahalli railway station into the proposed world-class station.

After a detailed study of the station, a preliminary report has been submitted by a top railway official with a slew of proposals. Chief among them being the linking of the Byappanahalli railway station with the upcoming metro rail station here and converting the vacant railway land in its vicinity, running into 200 acres, into a terminal.

The report has been submitted to the Hubli Division, the Zonal headquarters of South Western Railway for approval. With the Bangalore City station bursting at its seams with 76 pairs of trains running daily and Yeshwantpur too getting strained by operating 29 pairs of trains, Byappanahalli station will emerge as a crucial terminus in the future, the report said. “The passenger traffic in Bangalore is growing between 15% and 20% annually and Byappanahalli will play a key role in reducing congestion here and Yeshwantpur,” said the official.

“It has been suggested that ten platforms be constructed here,” he added. It has also been proposed that the station be provided with different entry and exit points to avoid any confusion between passengers arriving and departing from the station. Elaborate parking arrangements too have been suggested. The station is expected to be fully operational within four or five years and is likely to have a daily traffic flow of one lakh passengers, he added. When asked about the future of the report, Divisional Railway Manager (DRM), Akhil Agrawal, said that a consultant would be appointed within six weeks to assess the cost estimates and work out the feasibility of the suggestions made.

The NGEF land, by the side of the KSRTC terminus here, might also be utilised to provide the maintenance and circulating area for the station, he informed. “Both Metro Rail and KSRTC terminus must be well connected with Byappanahalli railway station to benefit passengers and all possibilities in this connection are examined when the model station is being set up,” the DRM added.

source (http://www.deccanherald.com/content/30055/initial-report-byappanahalli-station-submitted.html)

Krishnamoorthy K

October 14th, 2009, 11:47 AM

the airport at raichur is just an airstrip ?? not a full fledged airport...?

http://www.thehindu.com/2008/07/25/stories/2008072555910300.htm
As per the link Raichur is just an airstrip.

bagalkote.......

Economy rating of Bagalakote district is 12th in the state. Bagalakote is well known for its textile industries. Moreover as Aihole, Badami, Patadakallu are located in Bagalakote it is a very important tourist destination.

In the recent picture I did not show Hosapete-Bagalakote link as I thought NH-13 bypass connectivity if realigned slightly will pass through Bagalakote.

Except for Chikkamagaluru, all other 28 district head quarters are covered by this network. Chikkamagaluru with national wildlife parks like Bhadra and Kudremukha is highly eco sensitive. My opinion is better to develop Chikkamagaluru as a tourist destination than as an industrial city. Even Kodagu should also be only a tourist destination. But link is important to connect Mysuru with the coast.

On the other hand there are totally eight links passing through eco sensitive western ghats. Two through Mysuru and Chamarajnagara. Three to Mangaluru from Mysuru, Hasana and Shimoga. Two to Uttara Kannada from Ankola and Shivamoga. Last one may be Belgaum to Goa.

Rail line expansion: Union Minister promises alternative shelter (http://www.deccanherald.com/content/30244/rail-line-expansion-union-minister.html)

A new railway line will be laid between Chikkaballapur-Gauribidnur and Chikkaballapur Puttaparti and this will convert Chikkaballapur into a junction, said Muniyappa who sought the cooperation of people in laying the new lines.

xetairex

October 21st, 2009, 02:43 AM

Here's something I cribbed off the internet:

Karnataka has only 3.5% of it's railways electrified.

For comparison, the highest % is in Jarkhand, with 86%. Rajasthan is just above Karnataka with 8.x %. (vastly desert, though)

Comparatively, Tamilnadu has 23%, Kerala 19%, Andhra Pradesh at nearly 40%,
and Maharashtra @ 36%.

Railway density wise, it comes at 0.016 per sq km, half that of neighboring Tamil Nadu. (again, because of lack of double lines, even though we have plenty of feeder single lines)

sudheeshnairs

October 21st, 2009, 03:21 PM

^^

I think the numbers (19%) regarding Kerala is pretty old. As per the latest estimates, it should be more than 50 %, as per my estimates it comes around 56%.

The main trunk line getting in to Kerala from Tamilnadu at Walayar/Palakkad till the Capital at Trivandrum in the southern end is electrified. Till Ernakulam it is a double electrified line, from there two lines branch out through the coast (Aleppey) and the midlands (Kottayam) and join at Kayankulam Jn and then proceed as double electrified lines to Trivandrum Central. This is around 518 kms.

The Trivandrum-Kanyakumari (TN) line-some 30kms within Kerala is unelectrified, but electrification has been approved.

Next is the line through Malabar (northern part of Kerala) from Shornur Jn to Manjeswaram, bordering Mangalore. It is about 290 km. This is unelectrified as of now, but I think electrification has already been proposed in this route whose doubling is getting completed.

Then we have small lines like Kollam- Shencottah sector which is about 80kms within Kerala. Also some 20 kms in Palakkad-Pollachi route.

So it is around 518 kms out of some 917 kms which is electrified as of now. The total route km is Kerala is said to be 1148 km as per records, I think they take in to account the ‘double’ lines also which makes the account tally.

Once the Mangalore line is also electrified, along with the completion of the ongoing doubling works, Kerala would be having double, electrified railway lines from South to North as well as to the East making the percentage to about 88-90%. The line which would remain as a single unelectrified broad gauge section would be the Kollam-Shencottah line which is under Madurai division.

xetairex

October 21st, 2009, 07:16 PM

Karnataka should seriously think about hiring these Mallu lobbyists. :lol: Our MPs, MLAs and other reps are no good at getting things done for Karnataka. If anything gets done, it's because the other states want a line that happens to go to Bangalore improved. Seriously. :ohno:

sudheeshnairs

October 21st, 2009, 08:04 PM

Xetairex, I confirmed it, Yeswantpur is yet to get electrification.

See this which I shot on 13th Oct 09. Only the poles are up.This is little after YPR, towards Bangalore city station. Infact I remember seeing this much progress more than six months back. No work seems to happen these days.

I travelled by Kochuveli (TVM) Garibrath yesterday, got down at Banaswadi. That track too is unelectrified, single line. It is high time that something is done regarding Banaswadi station and its approaches. Most of the Bangalore city bound traffic alights here rather than YPR. Somebody landing at Bangalore for the first time will get a very bad image of the infrastructure.

http://i34.tinypic.com/10oqqdl.jpg

Are you sure that the work is over? Have you been to the station recently?

I had this doubt since I remember seing the work incomplete a few months back while driving by the side of the railway track.

Last time I boarded a train from YPR was during April 09. That time work was not complete. Not remember seing any electric loco too. Anyway now it is about six months more, so might have completed it.

Will check next time I drive to Yeswantpur.

xetairex

October 21st, 2009, 10:34 PM

Sudheesh,

Since I am in the US, I can only post links. :) Hopefully you can see these links before they expire on IRFCA server:

http://www.irfca.org/gallery/openline/tmonw/BZ01.JPG.html
http://www.irfca.org/gallery/openline/tmonw/BZ02.JPG.html

There are WAP-4s, WAM-4s and other electric locos being stabled at YPR now. I don't know by what line they managed to get to the station. However, the discussion on IRFCA mentioned that except 2 platforms all are electrified.
I think the line to SBC from YPR is not electrified, but to KJM or BYPL or something like that is electrified. I don't know.
Again, I must emphasize that this is done only to stable locos in YPR. There is no longer term plan to electrify this line beyond that to the north.

xetairex

October 21st, 2009, 10:54 PM

.... the state minister for Railways? (I mean online contact)

I would love to pick his brain on the pathetic state of Railways in Karnataka.:cheers:

sudheeshnairs

October 22nd, 2009, 07:00 AM

I think the line to SBC from YPR is not electrified, but to KJM or BYPL or something like that is electrified. I don't know.

YPR line doesnot toch KJM or BYPL. The Hosur line branches off in to two, both single line unelectrified, just after Benignahalli Rail overbridge. One line turns left and joins the main double electrified line to KJM. The other line is the one which leads to YPR through BAND (Banaswadi). This line passes over the KJM line via an overbridge. This line is not electrified, I had checked on 20/10/09.

Thanks for the links, I am able to see the photos. I will check IRFCA when I get time at home. I wonder why all the three locos are in a line, just like tied together. And wonder how it reached YPR!! Perhaps a Diesel loco pulled it here??

xetairex

October 23rd, 2009, 06:34 AM

engineer.akash

October 23rd, 2009, 10:55 AM

"Somebody landing at Bangalore for the first time will get a very bad image of the infrastructure."

Bangalore is nothing but an overgrown, haphazardly planned town. Sure, it's a metro (by sheer dint of one powerhouse industry), but take a look around you: shanties everywhere, traffic that's a nightmare, pollution that was out of control even 2 decades ago...

A well executed International terminal is balanced out by lack of speedy rail connection to the city. (why couldn't they plan them together? god knows.)

Add to that a public who's apathy is only matched by it's greed for sudden riches through real estate appreciation.

That's Bangalore in a nutshell for you.

I say this, because I have lived in Bombay for 2 years before moving to US about 18 years ago. Bombay is a hell hole in places, but it's infrastructure and city planning, bad as they are, are much better compared to Bangalore.

I never like to count bangalore among the economic hubs of karnataka.....
though for many insiders and outsiders karnataka starts and ends with bangalore........I have always hailed the concept of "GOODBYE BANGALORE HELLO MYSORE AND MANGALORE" but here I dont want mysore and mangalore to go the bangalore way....

Bangalore is totally screwed up when it it comes to quality infrastructure.....those good old days of bangalore are finished when it was famous for lal bagh,bangalore palace,cubbon park,ulsoor lake,beautiful tree lined avenues........:ohno:

I wish to see many tier two cities of Karnataka develop in a pragmatic manner.....I still dont understand why karnataka government neglected cities like hubli and belgaum who had airports even before mangalore or mysore......however yeddi govt seems to be doin well on this front...he has realized the potential of these two cities....

Belgaum, Hubli- Dharwad have tremendous potential they can just kick even mysore out....Hubli is envisaged to be the next economic hub.....:)

xetairex

October 23rd, 2009, 04:31 PM

Akash, I agree with what you say " for many it's as if Karnataka starts and ends with Bangalore"

it's sad that Indian govt is willing to spend 6000 cr on a rail
link in sullen and uncaring Kashmir, yet willfully neglects important
parts of India that deserved development decades ago.

Everything has been made into a political decision. :(

engineer.akash

October 23rd, 2009, 05:19 PM

xetairex

October 23rd, 2009, 06:36 PM

as such karanataka has never banked on center for aiding major projects......

can we have PPP rail services.?? is it possible???.....if yes;the state govt must atleast wake up and initiate the idea of PPP rail corridors.....

With Mamta in charge? No freakin way. She's all for "the poor, the underprivileged, unions and blah blah blah (typical political rhetoric)". Private institutions would be anathema to her, I bet ;-)

To digress - it seems the vinyl green painting-esque theme sported on the Duranto trains was designed personally by Mamta. Enough said! :lol: That is one confused, insipid, talentless hack artwork. :lol:

engineer.akash

October 23rd, 2009, 06:53 PM

xetairex

October 23rd, 2009, 07:13 PM

^^ thats what happens when people like her hold key ministries......:bash:
waste of money painting that crap junk wagon..........:nuts:

Do we need to take permission from mamta to start a PPP rail corridor??:ohno:

That's a major policy change. You see, the rolling stock and the railway line itself is government owned right now. To allow private ownership, there has to be a bill passed.
Interesting notion though. In US all railway lines and rolling stock are privately owned, I think, except Amtrak which is Federal.

engineer.akash

October 23rd, 2009, 07:26 PM

^^ NICE BMIC has obtained permission from the state govt for a rail link in conjunction with the expressway...............That means state govt need not obtain permission from the center for such projects.....HSRL being another instance................

xetairex

October 23rd, 2009, 08:07 PM

engineer.akash

October 23rd, 2009, 08:39 PM

bangalore-mysore...................:cheers:

xetairex

October 23rd, 2009, 11:52 PM

bangalore-mysore...................:cheers:

it's like 50-50 cost sharing with the central govt isn't it? Sure, they should use that model for all the railway and road projects.

engineer.akash

October 24th, 2009, 01:09 AM

center is no where in the picture................

xetairex

October 24th, 2009, 04:27 AM

center is no where in the picture................

What! :-) That's lovely that we have such purchasing power now. Go Yeddi, go! :)

engineer.akash

November 1st, 2009, 02:20 PM

^^ chill boss....
hope you are aware that two union minsters for railways in the past George Fernandes and Jaffer sherriff hailed from karnataka.....what did they do>??

its a normal trend that a union minister hailing from a state would love to see huge projects getting implemented in his home state.:)

we dont have strong representation in the center or rather I would like to say that we dont have a regional party in our state ...................we cant bargain much ........case is much different with the other states....(best example being our neighbour TN which has benefited lots by bargaining) .......and you are right when it comes to step motherly treatment meted out to karnataka..... and am not against development...

Karnataka should seriously think about hiring these Mallu lobbyists. Our MPs, MLAs and other reps are no good at getting things done for Karnataka. If anything gets done, it's because the other states want a line that happens to go to Bangalore improved. Seriously.

Kerala has its way: Bangalore-Mangalore train goes to Kannur

By Team Mangalorean

MANGALORE, Nov 1, 2009: The Kerala Railway lobby is too strong to contain, it has won the battle over Mangalore-Bangalore train and the train number 6517 and 6518 which was started a year back has now been won over the Kerala railway lobby. Now there is no Mangalore Bangalore Train but Kannur-Bangalore and Bangalore Kannur train via Mangalore!

So much for the Karnataka lobby, there are 28 Karnataka MPs, and hundreds of MLAs, Four Union Ministers and one Chief Minister but none of them could do anything to stop the train being stolen under their own noses!

The Railways has listed the new timings. Along with the train all the reservation facilities for Kannadigas have been lost, now travelers from Bangalore to Kannur will get prominence while Mangaloreans will get only 60 berths as against 450 per day. Likewise the travelers between Kannur and Bangalore will get 450 berths and Mangalorean traveling to Bangalore will get 60 berths. A fine gift to the Kannadigas on the Kannada Rajyotsasva!

The new schedule has come into being from November 1 and the changes have been accordingly made. According to the railway officials the train will start going up to Kannur soon after the memo on the extension reaches the office at Mangalore on November 1. According to the new schedule the train departing from Yashwanthpur at 8.45 pm will reach at 8.30 to Mangalore it will later go to Kannur at 9.10am reach Manjeshwar at 9.20, Kasargod at 10.04, Bekal at 10.15 and will reach Kannur at 11.45. It will depart to Bangalore from Kannur at 7.45 pm.

According to the Railway horata samithi convener Mr. P.V. Mohan "the train has been snatched away from Kannadigas, the central lobby of Kerala government has worked wonders in extending the train up to Kannur, we have failed, our state government has failed all over representatives in both Lok Sabha and State legislature have failed." It is only the people who can do something, Mr. Mohan added.

The various pressure groups that were hoping against hopes to get the train extended towards Karwar have now given up their struggle as they have felt their struggle was not yielding any result against the strong railway lobby of Kerala.

As a last ditch effort the railway yathri horata samithis have begun preparations to take a delegation to the central government and to the railway minister again against the injustice done to Karnataka. They will ask the government to terminate the Mangalore Bangalore train at Mangalore or divert it towards Karwar.

Sources in the Southern Railways told Mangalorean.com that even the day train between Mangalore and Bangalore will be extended upto a different destination in Kerala for which the lobbies are already at work. That will be an ultimate blow to the railway dreams of Mangalorean travelers.

Xetairex : What do you have to say for this??? Blame ourselves ........our central ministers are to be blamed...........kerala lobby is strong....step motherly treatment to karnataka will continue forever....its upto us again to moot up some good road infrastructure............. I mentioned at the start of this thread that it is worthless debating railway infrastructure in Karnataka....:bash:
SOURCE (http://mangalorean.com/news.php?newstype=broadcast&broadcastid=153052)

engineer.akash

November 1st, 2009, 02:27 PM

^^ Bangalore-Mangalore Karnataka's most strategic cities have no direct trains...... :? :mad2: :cry: :wallbash: :mad: :evil:

Krishnamoorthy K

November 1st, 2009, 03:07 PM

^^ Akash, it is not worthless to discuss. We can atleast discuss on PPP projects which state can take itself atleast.

In similar fashion to BMIC railway line PPP model state has to develop Mangalore-Bangalore railway line.

engineer.akash

November 1st, 2009, 03:36 PM

I agree PPP can be discussed here.......Ashok kheny can make it happen from Bangalore to Mangalore.......but people like gowdas are always there to screw up such infrastructural projects mid way...............:bash:

xetairex

November 1st, 2009, 06:07 PM

People should stop this train the next time it attempts to crawl towards Kannur out of Mangalore. Seriously. Politicians in India are probably the most corrupt in the world.

May I say this - to whoever is reading this post - If you are living in the state of Karnataka, don't you feel for your state's needs?

Why do you people sit and close your eyes and ears when it comes to Railway development in our state, which is the second poorest of all states in India (second only to Assam, with it's un-inhabitable mountainous regions and no metros to speak of)

I live in the US, and cannot possibly involve in a protest march or stuff, otherwise I would have done it. Yet, I feel for this issue.
DON'T YOU???

Or , is it just 'Bangalore Bangalore and Bangalore, rest of Karnataka be damned'?

*end rant*

engineer.akash

November 1st, 2009, 06:54 PM

We need to write a letter to the CM regarding the need for PPP's in railway projects on the lines of BMIC.......we can write to the secretary of the state for CM Mr V P Baligar(IAS)

when we can have 13 airports in our state out of which 5 are on PPP basis why not replicate the same in railways???

engineer.akash

November 1st, 2009, 07:17 PM

The first PPP in railways started off in karnataka

Hassan-Mangalore Railway Line:

Gauge conversion of Hassan-Mangalore railway line is one of the first PPP railway project in India. A Special Purpose Vehicle: Hassan – Mangalore Railway Development Company has been set up by GoK and GoI for this project. The gauge conversion is over and the operation of goods train has begun since May 2006. After the completion of statutory inspection and certification by the Railway Safety Commissioner, this line will be opened for passenger services.

http://idd.kar.nic.in/hassan-manngalore.htm

check also Page No 13 point 6 K-Ride

http://www.ccsindia.org/ccsindia/downloads/intern-papers-07/Public-Private-Partnerhship-in-Indian-Railways-182.pdf

Krishnamoorthy K

November 1st, 2009, 07:59 PM

^^ The PPP projects should be fully independent of GoI. Otherwise what is the use of spending 50% and leaving all control to GoI?

sudheeshnairs

November 2nd, 2009, 02:14 PM

when we can have 13 airports in our state out of which 5 are on PPP basis why not replicate the same in railways???

Why should it be? Why should Karnataka spend money from its coffers for Railway development, when most other states it is fully funded by IR? There are also instances were in some metro cities even for Mass Rapit Transit Systems, which is not much a revenue generating venture, full investment has been done by IR.

Good rail infrastructure is needed for the development of any place. The amount of energy you save, the efficiency, the capacity etc are beyond comparison. See, how will you transport petroleum products from Mangalore refinery to Bangalore? No wonder the prices of fuel are the highest in Karnataka, esp Bangalore. I have seen Akash commenting that since Volvos are there, no need for railways. Volvos are only a bonus, you should have the basic infrastructure in place.

Th onus lies in the the state/administration/people's representatives themselves. They have to stand for the requirements of the people.

xetairex

November 3rd, 2009, 03:51 AM

"The amount of energy you save, the efficiency, the capacity etc are beyond comparison. "

Zigackly.

Even if you use coal fired electricity to power your railways, you still come out ahead of gas powered/coal powered (hypothetical coal powered) vehicles in terms of sheer efficiency!

Seriously, people of Karnataka need to start thinking big when it comes to Railways. The major newspapers Deccan Herald, ToI (reallly crappy newspaper though, that one), Hindu etc need to be written to until they get off their lazy asses covering Salman/SRK/Yediyurappa /other trivial issues and instead pay some attention to important issues.

xetairex

November 3rd, 2009, 03:55 AM

I think the problem starts with the attitude of the people. Bangalore and Karnataka has always been an afterthought in the railway map of India. The golden quadrilateral or whatever they wish to call it (for railways, not roads, keep in mind) has allways been CHennai, Mumbai, Delhi and Calcutta. Everything else happened to be in the way of this quadrilateral or it's diagonals to get good connectivity.

Where is Bangalore in this picture? Nowhere. Should that change, yes, it should have changed, like 30 years ago.

It's got a lot to do with the attitude as well. Think small, you get small.

shailesh_prabhakar

November 3rd, 2009, 01:48 PM

Rs 25,000 crore worth concrete pillars and bridges to come up
Bangalore to be the ‘train city’ of 21 century
S Praveen Dhaneshkar,Bangalore,Nov 2,Deccan Herald News Service

Picture this! The new Namma Bangalore of the 21st century, a Rs 25,000 crore train City. Hard to believe? Read on.

A 42 km ‘Namma Metro’ will criss-cross the City on a Phase-1, East-West and North-South corridor in September 2012 at a cost exceeding Rs 8,158 crore. A high-speed train at a cost of Rs 5,767 crore will become a reality in 2011-12 to connect the BRV parade grounds to the Bengaluru International Airport on NH-7 on a build-operate-transfer (BOT) basis. A 59 km monorail corridor has been identified to be built at an estimated cost of Rs 12,000 crore, on a public-private-partnership (PPP) within the next three years.

Is the government actually turning the once ‘Garden City’ into a ‘Train City’ of concrete pillars and bridges, where trains will rule the roost at a cost that could well exceed Rs 25,000 crore, all just for public transport. Not to mention the Detailed Project Report (DPR) being currently prepared by Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) for Phase-2 to extend the Namma Metro alignment to include Whitefield, the NICE corridor and Electronic City at costs of well beyond Rs 10,000 crore, taking into account the annual cost escalation of 4 percent.

As per information available with Deccan Herald, the detailed project report (DPR) for Phase-1 of the Bangalore Metro, prepared by DMRC has stated the project costed Rs 3,970 crore, as on April 2003. This, then shot up to Rs 4,989 crore in May 2003 and was again revised/updated to cost Rs 6,296 crore in April 2005. Then BMRCL again revised the estimated cost of completing the project to Rs 8,158 crore in early 2009. This is expected to go up further at 4 percent as per the funding structure. All, this when the powers that be could have implemented a Mass Rapid Transit System (MRTS) on a 12.20 km route for the City as per a study done in 1982 at a cost of about Rs 239.15 crore.

Experts also said that the governments of the day also turned a blind-eye to a good feasibility study done in 1983, by an organisation of the Indian Railways suggesting a suburban rail service on existing lines, a circular railway of 57.9 km on two corridors. In Phase-1, a 12.9 km rail link from Rajajinagar to Jayanagar and in Phase-2, a 11.2 km train connectivity from Hudson Circle to Krishnarajapura, that would have been completed at less than Rs 500 cr.

Mono Rail Corridors proposed under Swiss Challenge approach

*Majestic-Hudson Circle-Wilson Garden-Dairy Circle-Agaram Lake
*Wilson Garden-Banashankari-Mysore Road-Majestic
*Majestic-Rajajinagar-Basaveshwaranagar-Mahalakshmi Layout-Yeshwantpur-Malleshwaram-Sadashivanagar-Vasanthanagar-High Grounds
*Cantonment-Indiranagar-Domlur-Ejipura-Koramangala

Funding structure of Namma Metro

*Equity from Government of India and Karnataka:
15 percent each
*Subordinate Debt from GoI and GoK: 10 and 15 percent
*Loan from financial institutions: 45 percent of project cost

xetairex

November 3rd, 2009, 06:19 PM

Krishnamoorthy K

November 4th, 2009, 12:05 PM

BANGALORE: The consequence of the delay in acquisition of the required lands to lay new railway lines in Karnataka has been that the building works are yet to begin.

That means that the State Revenue Department is at fault for the eight new lines being in limbo.

Some of the prominent lines among these eight are Raichur-Munirabad, Kadur-Chikmagalur, Kadur-Sakaleshpur and Bangalore-Hassan.

The officials concerned in the revenue department aver that a government order to acquire the needed lands has been issued ‘long back’ and that the acquisition process has already been initiated.

The officials said that the respective district commissioners are to be held responsible since they have the power to acquire land worth upto Rs one crore.

However, as it is with all government projects, the acquisition process is quite time consuming since two notifications have to be issued and the deputy commissioners should listen to the obhections of the property owners.

Cases in point: two cases are pending in the courts against the acquisitions on Kadur-Chikmagalur route and three cases are pending with respect to Bangalore-Hassan line.

Some of the areas on Bangalore- Hassan and Raichur-Munirabad routes have been handed over to the railways and the remaining are under different stages of acquisition.

Infrastructure Development Department Secretary V Madhu and Revenue Secretary G S Narayanswamy are holding review meetings with the railway officials once in every two months to speed up the acquisition process.

South-Western Railways Chief Administrative Officer S Vijayakumar said: “The acquisition process is taking more time than it is supposed to.

The project costs will escalate if the work does not start within the stipulated time.

"For example, Hubli-Ankola line, which would have connected the entire Hubli region to the west coast, was supposed to cost Rs 400 crore according to the original estimates made in 1998 and now it is expected to cost Rs 1,200 crore.

"The Environment and Forest department is yet to give clearance to this project that would benefit the entire region though we have taken enough precautions to cause minimum damage to the forests in the region.” These are not optimistic signs whatsoever.

Source: EB (http://www.expressbuzz.com/edition/story.aspx?Title=Red+tape+sidetracking+land+acquisition+process&artid=rYCA9%7CzLmMA=&SectionID=Qz/kHVp9tEs=&MainSectionID=wIcBMLGbUJI=&SectionName=UOaHCPTTmuP3XGzZRCAUTQ==&SEO=)

What about Special land units (SLU) similar to highway projects?

Krishnamoorthy K

November 5th, 2009, 06:13 AM

BANGALORE: The Karnataka government has offered 1,000 acres of land to Japanese external trade body Jetro to set up an “eco-friendly” industrial park in Tumkur.

A joint committee comprising of Jetro and state government officers will be formed to monitor and pursue the project, senior director of Jetro, Daisuke Macsushima said after meeting with Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa.

Yeddyurappa said that the delegation had shown interest in setting up a bullet train network in Chennai- Bangalore-Mysore route, apart from developing an eco-friendly township and industrial parks.

“Other projects such as water supply and recycling system, commuter train network and infrastructure have been envisaged,” the CM said. “We want to extend the industrial corridor to Hubli and Belgaum,” he added.

Source: EB (http://www.expressbuzz.com/edition/story.aspx?Title=Japanese+firm+to+set+up+industrial+park&artid=ZxZuvQnDSpU=&SectionID=Qz/kHVp9tEs=&MainSectionID=wIcBMLGbUJI=&SectionName=UOaHCPTTmuP3XGzZRCAUTQ==&SEO=)

Will the train go upto Mysuru airport?

I also want bullet trains between Mangaluru and Bengaluru.

sudheeshnairs

November 5th, 2009, 07:10 AM

Bangalore- Chennai has good connectivity as of now as per Indian standards. Let BSY first focus on doubling and electrifying the Bangalore-Mysore route which is pending for years.

Same case with Mangalore-Bangalore line. As of now the train crawls in the Ghats, esp Sakleshpur area.

‘Bullet Trains’ or the highspeed trains with a speed of about 250-350 kmph requires totally new alignment and heavy investment. The ticket rates should be closer to the air fares to make it economically feasible to construct and run.

Most times, the focus of these business delegations/meetings would be different. Here also JETRO is been promised 1000 acres of land, along with that they would have made a comment about Bullet trains too which gets more sensational value.

engineer.akash

November 5th, 2009, 11:24 AM

Krishnamoorthy the distance between Mysore railway station and the mysore airport located in nanjangud is about 18 kms. The idea of extending the proposed chennai-mysore train to the mysore airport is not worthy in my opinion....rather we can have a 4 laned road connecting the station to the airport..................:)

Krishnamoorthy K

November 5th, 2009, 06:55 PM

Banglore: A delegation of industrialists from Japan who met chief minister BS Yeddyurappa on Wednesday has rekindled the hopes of Bangaloreans to have super fast bullet train connectivity to Chennai. The delegation has presented a proposal to replicate the bullet train project between Mysore-Bangalore-Chennai.

The Japan External Trade Organisation (JETRO) delegation headed by Matsushima Daisuke expressed its readiness to develop the project on the lines of Japan's renowned bullet trains.

Expressing his happiness about the proposal Yeddyurappa assured that appropriate decision would be taken after discussing the issue at a high level meeting of infrastructure department.

Japan has also shown interest in developing industrial hubs along the state's coastal area, collaborating in drinking water projects and providing environment-friendly technologies in various sectors.

Setting up an exclusive Japan Industrial Park near Tumkur is another prominent proposal presented by the delegation. The project would need about 1000 acres of land. "The proposal is a result of my recent visit to Japan where industrialists of that country came up with plans to make investments to the tune of Rs5000 crore in Karanataka," said medium and large industries minister Murugesh Nirani, who was present at the occasion. The proposed park would be reserved exclusively for industries from Japan to set up their units, he said.

Assuring full support for Japanese industries to flourish in the state ,Yeddyurappa said that out of the over 840 Japanese companies functioning in India, 107 were operating in Karnataka. There were about 440 expatriate Japanese families in Bangalore, the second highest in India after Delhi.

Source: DNA (http://www.dnaindia.com/bangalore/report_mysore-banglore-chennai-may-be-a-bullet-ride_1307439)

I think they are serious.

Bangalore is providing employment for Japanese also?

engineer.akash

November 5th, 2009, 06:59 PM

^^ :lol:

engineer.akash

November 6th, 2009, 09:18 PM

‘Give us land, will finish track doubling fast’

Staff Reporter

Muniyappa asks State Government to hand over 120 hectares of land in Ramanagara and Mandya districts

http://www.hindu.com/2009/11/07/images/2009110750280401.jpg
— Photo K. Murali Kumar

More facilities: Union Minister of State for Railways K.H. Muniyappa (right) with Minister for Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Shobha Karandlaje at the newly built Kengeri Railway Station in Bangalore on Friday.

BANGALORE: Minister of State for Railways K.H. Muniyappa on Friday said early completion of the track doubling work between Bangalore and Mysore would depend on the expeditious handing over of required land in Ramanagara and Mandya districts by the State Government.

“The earlier they (State Government) hand over the land, the earlier we (Railways) will finish the project,” Mr. Muniyappa said after inaugurating the renovated “model station” building of Kengeri Railway Station here. Mr. Muniyappa said 120 hectares of land was required in these two districts for line doubling and there was enormous delay in acquisition.

“I have instructed officials to take up construction of bridges so that the work moves fast on the stretch,” the Minister said. He was responding to Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister Shobha Karandlaje’s plea to speed up the doubling work to accelerate development activities in and around Mysore.

Since construction of bridges took more time than laying tracks, the work had been taken up even before the lands have been handed over the Railways, the Minister noted. Stating that the United Progressive Alliance Government accorded top priority to common man’s travel, Mr. Muniyappa said various railway projects worth Rs. 1,026 crore sanctioned in the 2009-10 Railway budget for Karnataka would be completed by 2010-11.

The Minister assured to bring in more projects to the State.

Of the 10 model stations sanctioned for South Western Railway (SWR), six have been inaugurated. Two stations — Tumkur and Hindupur — will shortly be inaugurated, Mr. Muniyappa said. Similarly, the newly sanctioned trains will be flagged off in a phased manner soon by Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee, the Minister added.

Speaking to presspersons later, Mr. Muniyappa said there were plans to extend the Mumbai-Karwar train up to Mangalore. Also, the Yeshwanthpur–Salem-Kannur Express would be extended up to Mangalore, he said while justifying the extension of Yeshwanthpur-Mangalore express to Kannur and termed the same as a national integration move.
Demand

Speaking at the inauguration, Bangalore North Lok Sabha Member D.B. Chandre Gowda Ms. Karandlaje put forth several demands of the residents of Kengeri, which they represent in the Parliament and the Legislative Assembly.

The demands included construction of Rail Under Bridges (RUBs) and stoppage of all trains at Kengeri.

Chief Administrative Officer (Construction), South Western Railway S. Vijayakumaran, Divisional Railway Manager Akhil Agarwal, Additional DRM Ravi Valluri and other officials were present on the occasion.

http://www.hindu.com/2009/11/07/stories/2009110750280400.htm

Krishnamoorthy K

November 7th, 2009, 05:35 AM

^^ some more information

Model rly station opens at Kengeri (http://www.deccanherald.com/content/34655/model-rly-station-opens-kengeri.html)

Kengeri has been upgraded to a model station at a cost of Rs 80 lakh. The make-over includes improved circulating and concourse area, parking space and installation of ATMs. It is one among the ten model stations planned for Karnataka. “Tumkur and Hindupur model stations will be inaugurated within one or two months,” he said.

Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister Shobha Karandlaje, speaking on the occasion, said all trains except Shatabdi can give a stoppage at Kengeri as it will not cause any additional expense.

“An underbridge between Kengeri and its satellite town will help in easing the traffic in a big way. Besides, steps should be taken to supply Cauvery water at railway stations to solve water crisis. Railway stations should be well developed and connectivity to Ramnagaram, Mandya, Srirangapatna, Mysore and Madikeri should be improved to develop them into tourist hotspots,” she said.

Track doubling

Muniyappa told reporters that the doubling work between Ramnagaram and Mysore will be completed within three years.

He said the State government has to hand over 300 acres of land to facilitate its completion. “The project cost works out to Rs 500 crore, of which the State will contribute Rs 320 crore and the Centre would fund the rest,” he said.

Steps will be taken to have a stoppage for the Tippu Express (Bangalore and Mysore) along with three to four more trains at Kengeri. We have also written to the Railway Board seeking permission for the Mangalore-bound train to halt at Kengeri, he added.

He said, a Railway Under Bridge (RUB) will come up at the Kengeri-Ring Road intersection for which BBMP will contribute Rs 11 crore. Besides, Rs 8 crore has been sanctioned for constructing an RUB at Durgapalya.

On the proposed new track between Hubli and Ankola, Muniyappa said, he had held two rounds of talks with Minister for Forests and Environment Jairam Ramesh. “We have been asked to realign the track and are working it out,” he said.

Bullet train

Muniyappa said that no final decision has been taken by the Railway Board with regard to the introduction of a bullet train between Chennai and Mysore via Bangalore. “It needs different tracks and the speed of the train should touch 300 kms/hour. We have to think of the cost involved and whether we can afford it,” he said.

The eight trains announced in the budget for the State will be flagged off by Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee shortly, he said.

A sum of Rs 1,026 crore has been sanctioned for different railway projects in the State, he added.

If Japanese companies are investing on bullet train then they should be worried about cost effectiveness and so railway minister can focus on other projects.

How much time is needed to work on realignment of Hubli-Ankola?

engineer.akash

November 7th, 2009, 08:59 AM

^^ some more information

Model rly station opens at Kengeri (http://www.deccanherald.com/content/34655/model-rly-station-opens-kengeri.html)

If Japanese companies are investing on bullet train then they should be worried about cost effectiveness and so railway minister can focus on other projects.

How much time is needed to work on realignment of Hubli-Ankola?

Krishnamoorthy Hubli-ankola is by far the most toughest alignment for the engineers to work out, it must wade through thick jungles where the terrain is a challenge to lay tracks,it calls for lot of earth filling and cutting exercise......

If the doubling between Mysore and Bangalore needs three more years to materialize then I feel BMIC will sit in the hall of fame before the double tracking.

Mr Ashok kheny has promised to construct the corridor within two years.So if we assume the pending court case to get cleared in half a years time,then probably the BMIC will lead. :cheers:

Krishnamoorthy K

November 7th, 2009, 04:50 PM

^^ Akash, I asked only how much time needed for completing the realignment plan of Hubbali-Ankola line. Definitely it may as tough as Mangaluru -Hasana line and may require a long duration to complete construction work.

How many railway lines are planned between Bengaluru and Mysuru? Doubling existing one, BMIC and then bullet train?

engineer.akash

November 7th, 2009, 04:53 PM

I feel its not worth having so many routes, spending money unnecessarily on only two cities.I feel the bullet train should have been from Bangalore to Belgaum......They need to plan a industrial corridor from bangalore to belgaum.
Yeddi did a great job by pushing the Japanese industrial park to Tumkur on the NH4.

Arul Murugan

November 11th, 2009, 06:24 AM

/bangalore/report_mysore-banglore-chennai-may-be-a-bullet-ride

I think they are serious.

Bangalore is providing employment for Japanese also?

:lol::lol:First let SR and SWR should the Shatabdi express between the two metros in 4hours... then let us talk about bullet trains.

Chennai-Bangalore expressway would will be done faster than those bullet train!! So let TN and Karnataka gvt work on that expressway instead of those impossible bullet trains for our condition.

Krishnamoorthy K

November 11th, 2009, 10:12 AM

^^ Yes. Train running around 100 kmph is also fine.

What I wish is these types of tracks should be laid for all the corridors which I had posted earlier. Mostly we should have separate tracks for goods train along these corridors?

I prefer mass transportation system like train over thousands and thousands of cars running over expressways. Even buses running at 100 kmph on expressways should be alright.

engineer.akash

November 13th, 2009, 07:49 PM

Sangha to meet railway minister

TNN 13 November 2009, 10:57pm IST

MANGALORE: Pashchima Karavali Railway Yathrikara Sangha (West Coast Railway Users Association) will take a delegation to Union railway minister
Mamata Banerjee this month to urge her to extend the Mangalore-Yeshwantpur train up to Karwar.

The association alleged that MP Nalin Kumar Kateel misled people on the issue the related to the extension of Mangalore-Yeshwantpur Express upto Kannur in Kerala. When the extension was announced in the railway budget, Kateel spoke against the proposal. He had also spoken about organizing a mass protest in case the union railway ministry did not revert the decision. However, Kateel has changed his tone now.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mangalore/Sangha-to-meet-railway-minister/articleshow/5228020.cms

Krishnamoorthy K

November 15th, 2009, 07:09 AM

The commencement of day train (train number 6516/15) between Mangalore-Yeshwanthpur has fulfiled the long pending dreams of Mangaloreans. However, the train has some shortcomings which needs to be looked into by the authorities concerned to attract more passengers, as some of the bogies are running empty on several days.

Be it the prolonged journey, stoppages in many stations for nearly 15 minutes, absence of pantry car, entry of beggars, eunuchs and absence of pre paid auto stand at Yeshwanthpur station have been causing lot of inconvenience to commuters.

Railway Yathri Sangha (Puttur) Technical Advisor Anil Hegde said “if the journey duration is reduced, then the train will be beneficial to many. For example, the distance between Hassan and Arasikere is 45 kilometres. But, it takes nearly one and half hours to reach Arasikere. The train from Yeshwanthpura-Mangalore 6515 reaches Arasikere at 11 am and Hassan at 11.50 am.”

He says: “High speed trains run between Arasikere and Bangalore (Hubli -Bangalore (intercity) Express which takes only 2.30 hours to reach Bangalore from Arasikere. The day train reaches Hassan at 2.20 pm and Arasikere at 3.50 pm. Scheduled time to reach Subrahmanya for day train from Yeshwanthpura is 3.15 pm. But it reaches Mangalore at 5.50 pm. The absence of pantry car is another major problem for the passengers as they have to depend on the food vendors wherein quality of food is very poor, said a passenger who has travelled in the day train several times. Since its a long journey, it calls for the attachment of a pantry car, feels Hegde.

Once the train reaches Sakleshpur from Mangalore, the nuisance created by beggars, eunuchs can not be stopped. Passengers have to shell out some amount of money as these eunuchs come and demand money, says Siddarth, a frequent traveller.

“The absence of pre paid autos in Yeshwanthpur is another headache to the passengers of day train. As the train reaches the station at 7 pm, it is difficut for the passengers to find a bus station and reach Majestic to catch another bus to reach the destination. The absence of pre paid autos forces passengers to shell out more money if they opt to go in autorickshaws. If the train is extended to Bangalore City railway station, it will help the commuters as the city bus stand is adjacent to the railway station,” feels Hegde.

The trains stop at Kankanady, Bantwal, Puttur, Subrahmanya, Sakleshpura, Hassan, Arasikere, Tiptur, Tumkur and Yashwanthpura.

The distance between Mangalore-Bangalore via Arasikere-Hassan route is 403 kilometres. However, the journey takes 10 hours 15 minutes. The distance between Mangalore-Bangalore via Mysore is 509 kilometres and it takes 12 hours.

Source: DHNS (http://www.deccanherald.com/content/35905/day-train-shortcomings-cause-concern.html)

engineer.akash

November 15th, 2009, 11:26 AM

RLY. DOUBLE-TRACK TO COMPLETE IN 30 MONTHS: MUNIYAPPA

Mandya, Nov. 15 (NKP&KMC)- Union Minister of State for Railways K.H. Muniyappa inspected the prospects of laying the much-awaited Railway double track at Ramanagar, Chennarayapatna and Maddur, on his way from Bangalore in a special train this morning.

The double-track project between Mysore and Bangalore, a long-cherished dream of commuters between the two cities, has been stalled at Ramanagar for want of land.

He was accompanied by MP N. Cheluvarayaswamy, MLA C.S. Puttaraju, South-Western Railway General Manager Kuldeep Chaturvedi, Divisional Railway Manager Akhil Agarwal and others.

Alighting the train at Mandya, the Minister distributed 'Izzat' Railway passes meant for poor daily wage workers, at a public function.

Addressing the gathering, the Minister said that the remaining work of laying the double-track between Ramanagar and Mysore will be completed in 30 months' time once the 300 acres of land required for the project is acquired.

"A meeting of the Deputy Commissioners of Ramanagar, Mandya and Mysore districts will be convened to discuss the issue and the measures to be initiated to clear land for the project," Muniyappa said.

District-in-Charge Minister Ramachandregowda, speaking on the occasion, extolled Indian Railways. About 18 million people travel every day and two million tonnes of goods are transported," he said and added that the Indian Railways had gained recognition worldwide for its immense infrastructure.

The Minister earlier laid foundation stones for two bridges across river Cauvery in Srirangapatna, an overbridge work at Pandavapura and broad gauge track laying at Srirangapatna.

Former Minister Atmananda, MLAs C.S. Puttaraju, K.B. Chandrashekhar, Mallajamma, M. Srinivas, Ramesh Babu, Kalpana Siddaraju, K.T. Srikantegowda, S.M. Shankar and others were present at the public meeting.

SOM 15 nov

engineer.akash

November 16th, 2009, 02:46 PM

The Bangalore-Mysore double line inches forward

TNN 16 November 2009, 01:35am IST

MYSORE: The Bangalore-Mysore double line inched forward with railway minister for state K H Muniyappa laying the foundation stone for construction of two bridges at Srirangapatna on Sunday.

The bridges are estimated to cost Rs 40 crore and if all goes well, construction will be completed in over two years. He promised to shift some historical monuments, if required.

The work on 13 major and 62 minor bridges are in progress, added Muniyappa. The cost of the project is estimated to be Rs 497 crore.

The double line work between Mysore and Bangalore has been completed till Ramanagar. The rest of the work will be completed once 300 acres required for the project is acquired.
The state government has proposed several new railway lines at Rs 21,000 crore. "All the proposed railway lines cannot be considered. The issue will be discussed with the chief minister and railway board officials before finalizing them. During the 2009-10 Budget, eight new trains were proposed, but one has been launched," said Muniyappa.

When MLA AB Ramesha Bandisiddegowda said Srirangapatna railway station lacks basic facilities, Muniyappa promised help to give it a facelift. Ramesh said Srirangapatna is a tourist hub and needs better facilities at the railway sation.

Earlier in Mandya, the minister distributed 100 'Izzat' railway passes among the daily wage workers whose salary is below Rs 1,500 per month.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mysore/The-Bangalore-Mysore-double-line-inches-forward/articleshow/5233392.cms

Krishnamoorthy K

November 21st, 2009, 05:40 AM

BANGALORE: Even though Bangalore earns the top buck for the South-Western Railway, it seems the rest of Karnataka is far behind other states in basic railway connectivity.

While Karnataka has only 16 km of railway lines for every 1,000 sq km, the national average stands at 19 km per 1,000 sq km; the state’s big Southern neighbours literally beat it by several miles, with Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh having 30 km of railway lines per 1,000 sq km.

The rail connectivity in Gujarat is twice the national average with 38 km per sq km.

At least 3,500 km of new lines will have to be laid in the state to bring it to the level of its neighbours. Former Member of Railway Advisory Board S Kamal Kumar said, “Most of the parliamentarians from the state would not raise the issue in the parliament fearing the high command’s wrath and that has caused this disparity.” The state government, seeking to address the disparity in connectivity has come forward to bear 50 percent of the project cost for new railway lines sought by it. Union Minister of State for Railways K H Muniyappa said that he will do whatever is required to get Karnataka’s railways on par with other states by getting more lines sanctioned.

Source: EB (http://www.expressbuzz.com/edition/story.aspx?Title=State+has+less+railway+lines+than+other+states&artid=tdUdbDKsWt4=&SectionID=7GUA38txp3s=&MainSectionID=7GUA38txp3s=&SEO=&SectionName=zkvyRoWGpmWSxZV2TGM5XQ==)

In general industrialization and railway lines are directly proportional to each other. But, inspite of poor railway infrastructure Karnataka doing great in industrialization.

Krishnamoorthy K

November 21st, 2009, 11:40 AM

http://www.starofmysore.com/image.asp?slno=4323&type=specialnews

The Department of Railways is trying to catch up with the rapid advances in science and technology in every field.

As part of its efforts to modernise the Railway system, the South Western Railways (SWR) will soon be installing escalators (moving steps) at Mysore City Railway Station thus facilitating easy movement of passengers from one platform to another.

The work of replacing the wooden steps at Platform No. 1 with escalators will be taken up a cost of Rs. 30 lakh. The said work is expected to commence within a week and will be completed by the end of March 31, 2010, according to Senior Divisional Commercial Manager Dr. Anup Dayanand, who spoke to Star of Mysore.

The electric escalators are based on 'Censor Technology.' As soon as commuters arrive, the doors will start opening; as soon as they climb the first step, it will start moving upwards automatically. The steps will be stationary when there are no people. A large quantity of fuel could be saved through this technology, he said. Around 30 passengers can use the escalator at a time with luggage. There will be normal steps at either side of the escalator too, he added.

Dr. Anup added that this installation is the first of its kind in South Western Railway. Except in New Delhi’s Nizamuddin and Chennai’s Egmore Railway Stations, no other Railway Station in the country is equipped with such a technology.

He said that in the last Railway budget, grants were allotted for installing escalators to 50 Railway Stations across the country. Though Mysore Railway Station was not included in that list, in order to provide better facilities to Rail commuters, the said project is being implemented at Mysore Railway Station, he explained.

In the next fiscal year, escalators will be installed for Platform No.5 also, Dr. Anup said.

The SWR has come forward to implement 12 new projects at an estimated cost of Rs. 3 crore during the current financial year for the benefits of Rail commuters. Electronic train indicator board, Digital reservation chart display, High-mast tower, Air-conditioned dormitories, Touch screen Enquiry Terminal etc. are included in the list of projects.

He further said that "Jana Aahar" scheme aimed at providing quality food at reasonable prices to Rail commuters would be introduced in the City Railway Station during the month of February 2010.

Need a lift?

Need a lift? Here is help for senior citizens and physically challenged persons visiting City Railway Station. A battery operated vehicle has been introduced for the first time to transport them from the parking area to their respective train coaches.

The vehicle was inaugurated recently. Though there is only one vehicle at present, depending on the demand, additional vehicles may be introduced in due course. The facility will be available 24/7 and has been donated by Srishti Communications. S. Kumar of Srishti Communications said the first such vehicle was introduced in Bangalore and has subsequently been introduced at other stations, including Chennai Central, Tiruchirappalli and Madurai.

The facility will be offered free of cost and the maintenance will be done by Max New York Life. The vehicle costs around Rs. 45 lakh. The car is easy to operate, noise-free, pollution-free and has baggage space. Passengers wishing to avail the service may contact Helpline No: 9900012333. People who are temporarily invalid can also avail of the facility.

The Golden Chariot

The Golden Chariot is a luxury tourist train that connects the important tourist spots in Karnataka and Goa. It is named after the Stone Chariot at Vitthala Temple in Hampi. The 19 coaches on the train are coloured purple and gold, and sport the logo of a mythological animal with the head of an elephant and a body of a lion. The Golden Chariot operates weekly and had its maiden commercial run on March 10, 2008. The train, along with the Deccan Odyssey, is designed on the lines of the more popular Palace on Wheels with accommodations, spa treatments and dining.

The train offers a 7-day/8-night tour of Bangalore, Kabini, Mysore, Hassan, Hospet, Badami and Goa. Tourist attractions visited include Nagarhole National Park, Mysore Palace, Srirangapatna forts, Hoysa-leswara Temple, Gomateshwara and the Badami Cave Temples. It is the only train in India to have onboard Wi-Fi connectivity and satellite antennae. It can accommodate 88 passengers.

GPRS system & LCD TVs

Passengers of Mysore-Bangalore trains can now have entertainment during their journey. In addition, the passengers can have complete information about the journey during the 3-hour journey. The South Western Railway has provided LCD Tvs in trains with satellite-based GPRS (General Pocket Radio Service) tracking system. There is a frequent display of journey particulars, stations reaching and Railway time-table on the small screen.

The new technology of GPRS tracking system developed by Focus at Global Inc. of Bangalore, first of its kind in the country, is being tried on an experimental basis in one of the Mysore-Bangalore trains. The passengers can hear songs and watch cinema recorded in DVD and VCD in addition to information on Railways.

Queue management

The Railway authorities have also introduced a dynamic queue management system at the Railway Station’s advance reservation counter. This system provides orderly movement of people and obviates the need to move in queue.

The customer obtains a token number and waits for his turn. Once a customer gets a token number, he can head to the cafeteria or coffee shop and return to the counter once the number is displayed on the terminal.

Source: SOM (http://www.starofmysore.com/main.asp?type=specialnews&item=4323)

Krishnamoorthy K

November 26th, 2009, 05:24 PM

Karwar, November 26: Super fast express train comes to Karwar thrice in a week. It reached Karwar on Tuesday for the fist time. Leaders of Pro Kannada Organizations welcomed the train at 8pm and congratulated the drivers and train staffs.

Ram Naik president of Ka.Saa.Pa said that this is the first train from Mumbai to Karwar and congratulated all who have worked for this train.

But there is no train facility from Bangalore to Karwar. Related officers should pay their attention in this matter, he urged.

Railway minister Mamta Banerji inaugurated the Mumbai-Karwar train. This is the first train from Karwar to Mumbai which has 15 compartments. Prior to this S.S.Bayas used to run the train which was later cooperated by guard Y.A.Gavadi. Assistant driver Manjunath Naik of Karwar was also present in this train.

Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 10.30pm this train moves from Shivaji terminus of Mumbai and next day it will reach Karwar at 8.20am.

On Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday this train returns from Karwar to Mumbai at 5.45pm and next day it will reach Mumbai at 4am.

Source: Udayavani (http://www.udayavani.com/showstory.asp?news=0&contentid=719024&lang=1)

Krishnamoorthy K

November 27th, 2009, 05:18 AM

SRIRANGAPATNA: The State Government has proposed new projects for developing railway infrastructure at a cost of Rs. 21,000 crore and is prepared to invest 50 per cent of the amount on a cost-sharing basis.

This was stated by Minister for Medical Education Ramachandra Gowda, who is also in charge of Mandya district during the foundation stone-laying ceremony for new bridges across the Cauvery.

The new lines mooted included Tumkur-Davanagere (160 km), Bagalkot-Kuduli (141 km), Dharwad-Belgaum (97 km), Gadag-Harihar (80 km), Alamatti-Kushtagi (170 km) and Bijapur-Shahabad (140 km), apart from seeking four-line track between Bangalore and Whitefield in view of the high traffic density. The other railway projects mooted included Shimoga-Harihar, Talaguppa-Honnavar, Mysore-Kushalnagar and Bidar-Anekal Road.

Demand

There were also demands to introduce halt at Palahalli near Srirangapatna and a large number of people from the village created ruckus at the venue of the function. They argued that there was a halt at Palahalli during the metre gauge era but had been abolished after the introduction of the broad gauge.

Mr. Muniyappa directed the General Manager of South Western Railway Kuldeep Chaturvedi to recommend the proposal to the Railway Board for its consideration.

There was also a plea to provide stoppage for Mysore-Bangalore Tipu Express at Srirangapatna in view of the fact that Tipu Sultan, after whom the train is named, ruled Mysore kingdom from Srirangapatna. and it was absurd that the train did not have a stop at the station.

Source: The Hindu (http://www.thehindu.com/2009/11/16/stories/2009111651360400.htm)

engineer.akash

December 1st, 2009, 04:31 AM

Service will be offered at Rs 15 per hour
Mysore rly station to go wi-fi

Mysore, Nov 30, DH News Service:

The Railway Station in the City will soon be provided with high speed broadband connectivity with wi-fi technology.

One can surf the internet in any corner of the Station, a first of its kind facility offered by Railways in the nation.

“The facility will cater to tech-savvy IT professionals and business persons carrying laptops and smartphones for whom at times internet is inevitable. It will be dedicated in ten days,” Senior Divisional Commercial Manager, SWR, Mysore, Dr Anup Dayanand Sadhu told media here on Monday.

Ozone, a Delhi-based company, is providing the facility under public private partnership (PPP). The company is identified by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) for providing public wi-fi services.

The service provider will create 18 to 25 hotspots from platform one to three in the railway station. Each platform will be having at least eight to nine hotspots that will cover a radius of 300 to 400 meters, he detailed.

Sadhu said considering the stupendous growth of the City, representatives of the company consulted the authorities on launching the facility.

“If it proves to be a success, the facility will be extended to remaining three platforms too,” Dayanand Sadhu said.

Coupons

A person who wants to use the facility will have to collect a coupon priced at Rs 10 for half-an-hour and Rs 15 for one hour and dial the number of service provider printed on the coupons. After collecting a few mandatory details of the user, a particular code number will be given to access the net.

To avoid downloading of any objectionable contents, content filtering technology will be installed. Sadhu said that the Railways will play the role of a host for six months and will share the revenue if the response is encouraging.

http://www.deccanherald.com/content/38769/mysore-rly-station-go-wi.html

sudheeshnairs

December 1st, 2009, 06:50 AM

^^Oh, not again!!! We had earlier seen many reports of being ‘First of its kind’ in India in the regional media.

It was reported in 2007 that Bangalore was the first station in India to get Wi Fi. Jaipur was supposed to follow the suit.

http://news.oneindia.in/2007/06/29/bangalore-to-become-first-railway-station-with-wi-fi-connectivity-1183119458.html

Ludhiana, Dehradun & Cuttack railway stations got Wi Fi in 2008

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/chandigarh-railway-station-awaits-wifi-ride/504220/

http://www.thehindu.com/2008/04/07/stories/2008040752860300.htm

I am not sure how many more stations in India is having Wi Fi. It was said in 2007 that 50 stations will get it soon.

engineer.akash

December 2nd, 2009, 09:18 PM

Central team to inspect Hubli, Ankola rail line alignment

Staff Correspondent

HUBLI: Dharwad MP Pralhad Joshi has said that a Central team of officials from the Department of Environment and Forests will inspect the revised alignment of the Hubli-Ankola railway line by the end of this month.

In a release issued from New Delhi, Mr. Joshi has said that this was decided at a meeting of the Union Minister of State for Environment and Forests, the Union Minister of State for Railways, Canara MP and senior officials of South Western Railway in New Delhi on Tuesday.

Mr. Joshi has said that Tuesday’s meeting was held based on a decision taken during the recent meeting he, Anantkumar Hegde (Canara MP) and MP H.N. Ananth Kumar had with the Union Minister Jairam Ramesh.

Mr. Joshi has in the release said that during Tuesday’s meeting Union Minister of State for Railways Muniyappa and senior officials from South Western Railways, himself and Mr. Hegde justified the need for the Hubli-Ankola railway line for the development of North Karnataka.

Mr. Jairam Ramesh said that he would take steps based on a report of the team, led by Additional Director General of Department of Environment and Forests Gangopadhyaya, which would inspect the revised alignment of the railway line, according to the release.

Director General of Environment and Forests Dilip and senior railway official Vijay Kumaran participated in the meeting, the release has said.

http://www.hindu.com/2009/12/03/stories/2009120352400300.htm

engineer.akash

December 4th, 2009, 03:53 AM

Byndoor railway station to be upgraded

State Government has already sanctioned

Rs. 2 crore for the project

Udupi: Minister of State for Railways K.H. Muniyappa on Wednesday assured a delegation of the Mookambika Railway Yatri Sangha, led by Oscar Fernandes, MP, of upgrading the Byndoor-Mookambika railway station soon.

A press release issued by K. Venkatesh Kini, president of the sangha, stated that the delegation met Mr. Muniyappa in New Delhi on Wednesday.

Funds

The sangha had been fighting for upgrading the railway station for a long time. A large number of people visiting the Sri Mookambika temple at Kollur alighted at this station. The delegation told Mr. Muniyappa that the State Government had sanctioned Rs. 2 crore for upgrading the station.

The Minister assured the delegation that the station would be upgraded with funds sanctioned by the State Government, and, if required, additional funds would be released by the Railway Ministry.

R.L. Dias, president of the Udupi Railway Yatri Sangha, who was part of the delegation, urged Mr. Muniyappa to extend the Bangalore-Mangalore train to Karwar. The Minister said steps were being taken to extend the Bangalore-Mangalore day train up to Karwar. Efforts would be made to run more trains from the coastal districts to Bangalore in the coming days, Mr. Muniyappa added.

Secretaries of the Mookambika Railway Yatri Sangha, P. Jagadish and Jayananda Hoblidar, and secretary of Udupi Railway Yatri Sangh John Rebello were also part of the delegation, the release said.

http://www.hindu.com/2009/12/04/stories/2009120457810300.htm

Krishnamoorthy K

December 4th, 2009, 06:56 AM

^^
Mumbai-Karwar train is terminating at Karwar. But, for Bangalore-Mangalore train extension to Karwar railway is telling that there is no termination facility in Karwar. :bash:

xetairex

December 5th, 2009, 02:47 AM

^^
Mumbai-Karwar train is terminating at Karwar. But, for Bangalore-Mangalore train extension to Karwar railway is telling that there is no termination facility in Karwar. :bash:

These freakheads only listen when things actually get out of hand, like people start to rebel in the name of Maoism/Naxalism what-have-you. Until then, the prima-donnas with the devil may care attitude live in cozy warm bribe-and-ill-gotten wealth fueled cocoon.

Krishnamoorthy K

December 6th, 2009, 06:25 AM

KOLAR: The Hubli-Ankola railway line project will be revived, said Union Minister of State for Railways KH Muniyappa.

He told Express that he met Union Environment and Forest Minister Jairam Ramesh, who assured to have the project proposal of the Hubli- Ankola railway line examined by an expert committee.

Muniyappa said he led a delegation of railway officers to call on Jairam Ramesh to deliberate and prevail upon him to clear the proposal for the long pending Hubli-Ankola railway line.

Karnataka MPs Pralhad Joshi and Anant Kumar Hegde were also present in the meeting.

Source: EB (http://www.expressbuzz.com/edition/story.aspx?Title=%E2%80%98Hubli-Ankola+rail+project+to+be+revived%E2%80%99&artid=Y5itAC475us=&SectionID=7GUA38txp3s=&MainSectionID=fyV9T2jIa4A=&SectionName=zkvyRoWGpmWSxZV2TGM5XQ==&SEO=)

http://i47.tinypic.com/zvoa6w.jpg

Still in talking phase. No progress on realignment survey works?

Work on Hubli-Ankola rly line awaits green signal (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hubli/Work-on-Hubli-Ankola-rly-line-awaits-green-signal/articleshow/5244480.cms)

He said the railway stations in Hubli, Gadag, Bijapur and Bagalkot would get a new look at the earliest.

engineer.akash

December 6th, 2009, 10:59 PM

Source: EB (http://www.expressbuzz.com/edition/story.aspx?Title=%E2%80%98Hubli-Ankola+rail+project+to+be+revived%E2%80%99&artid=Y5itAC475us=&SectionID=7GUA38txp3s=&MainSectionID=fyV9T2jIa4A=&SectionName=zkvyRoWGpmWSxZV2TGM5XQ==&SEO=)

http://i47.tinypic.com/zvoa6w.jpg

Still in talking phase. No progress on realignment survey works?

Work on Hubli-Ankola rly line awaits green signal (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hubli/Work-on-Hubli-Ankola-rly-line-awaits-green-signal/articleshow/5244480.cms)

Muniyappa and Jai Ram ramesh both are from karnataka let us see what they plan to do.If at all they are serious.Why don't our politicians learn from Tamil nadu/kerala to bargain or beg?:bash:

Arul Murugan

December 8th, 2009, 02:42 AM

Today Shimoga-Bangalore City Jn new Intercity express Inauguration?

jt_54321

December 8th, 2009, 08:38 AM

Today Shimoga-Bangalore City Jn new Intercity express Inauguration?

Yes, and also extension on Bangalore-Hubli Intercity express to Bangalore-Dharwad...

Krishnamoorthy K

December 8th, 2009, 02:12 PM

The first automobile logistics hub is already coming up in Howrah Nine more such hubs, including in Bangalore and Mysore, would be established in various parts of the country.

Bangalore: “After automobile logistics hubs, Railways is examining the possibility of providing vacant land earmarked for commercial utilisation for setting up auto ancillary industries,” railway minister Mamata Banerjee said on Tuesday.

Addressing a Railway programme here, she said that the first automobile logistics hub is already coming up in Howrah.

Nine more such hubs, including in Bangalore and Mysore, would be established in collaboration with Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers in various parts of the country.

“We have received proposals from automobile ancillary industries. That also we are examining. When it’s cleared, Karnataka will get its share”, Banerjee said at the function, also attended by railway ministers of state K.H. Muniyappa and E. Ahamed and chief minister B.S. Yeddyurappa.

Banerjee also said that once work on dedicated freight corridor in western and eastern regions of the country is completed, the government would take up the one for the south.

She made a strong pitch for a public-private partnership (PPP) approach in providing rail link to industrial hubs, ports and coal mines, saying it would benefit all the stakeholders—state and central governments and industry.

The minister also announced a new train between Bangalore and Howrah and also extension of Mumbai-Karwar train up to Mangalore.

Yeddyurappa announced an increase in the state’s share to promote railway projects in Karnataka from Rs243 crore annually to 600 crore.

On Banerjee’s suggestion on taking up rail links to industrial hubs and ports on PPP model, the chief minister said that a feasibility study would be conducted and report submitted by next month.

The railway minister flagged off at the Bangalore city railway station the Bangalore-Shimoga intercity express, Yeshwantpur-Mysore express and Yeshwantpur-Solapur Golgumbaz express (tri-weekly), the last two services by remote.

Banerjee inaugurated by remote the renovated Tumkur Railway Station and Dharmapuri Railway Station buildings, and launched solid state interlocking—an arrangement of signal apparatus that prevents conflicting movements through an arrangement of tracks such as junctions and crossings—at the station here.

Muniyappa said that Railways would introduce 69 new trains, including 12 non-stop, point-to-point Duronto trains.

Asked by reporters later if the long-pending issue of rail link between India and Bangladesh would be discussed during Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s coming visit to India, Banerjee said: “When she comes, there will be discussions on Bangladesh. What will happen or what will not happen, I can’t say now.”

Source: livemint.com (http://www.livemint.com/2009/12/08162531/Railway-mulling-giving-vacant.html)

Bangalore may be the first city in Karnataka to get Solid State Interlocking system. (Bangalore Central only?). All other stations may have to use Realy based Interclocking for a long time. Not surprised if there are still a few Mechanical Interlocking systems in Karnataka.

engineer.akash

December 9th, 2009, 06:35 AM

^^Hope that is just the start...........:cheers:

Hoping more for Karnataka.......esp doubling and electrification of Bangalore-belgaum.

Krishnamoorthy K

December 9th, 2009, 05:25 PM

Chief Minister Yeddyurappa has appealed to the Union Railway Minister to take up nine railway projects proposed by the State including Hubli-Ankola, Bijapur - Shahbad, Tumkur - Davangere on a priority basis.

In his letter to the Union Minister Mamata Banerjee, Yeddyurappa said the average rail density in the state was only 16 kms per 1,000 sq kms of geographical area.

The density was less compared to the national average and that of Gujarat and Tamil Nadu. He sought early implementation of several projects on a priority basis.

The CM also proposed to double the state’s share of its investment in railway projects, provide land for new projects free of cost and bear 50 per cent of the cost of new projects.

Projects proposed: Hubli - Ankola (167 kms); Bijapur - Shahbad (140 kms); Shimoga - Harihar (84 kms); Gadag - Haveri (84 kms); Whitefield - Kolar - Mulbagal (52 kms); Kuduchi - Bagalkot (142 kms); Tumkur - Davangere (210 kms); Alamatti - Koppal (150 kms); Londa - Goa (doubling - 109 kms). The proposed cost of these projects is Rs 5,809 crore.

Source: DHNS (http://www.deccanherald.com/content/40273/rlys-should-expedite-projects-cm.html)

Most of the proposed projects here are in the corridors discussed earlier. There may be some realignments in corridors.

Dedicated freight corridor announced for South India (http://www.deccanherald.com/content/40278/dedicated-freight-corridor-announced-south.html)
I think it should be Golden-Quadrilateral with Belgaum-Bangalore. Other candidate may be North-South corridor. Even Konkan-Malabar corridor may also be considered in future?

Railway mulling giving vacant land to auto-ancillary industry (http://www.deccanherald.com/content/40203/railway-mulling-giving-vacant-land.html)
This report mentions Mangalore in place of Mysore.
Belgaum-Dharwad-Hubli-Shimoga-Udupi-Mangaore may be developed as an automobile corridor along with Bangalore-Bidadi-Ramnagar-Mysore automobile corridor.

xetairex

December 10th, 2009, 12:06 AM

Source: DHNS (http://www.deccanherald.com/content/40273/rlys-should-expedite-projects-cm.html)

Most of the proposed projects here are in the corridors discussed earlier. There may be some realignments in corridors.

Dedicated freight corridor announced for South India (http://www.deccanherald.com/content/40278/dedicated-freight-corridor-announced-south.html)
I think it should be Golden-Quadrilateral with Belgaum-Bangalore. Other candidate may be North-South corridor. Even Konkan-Malabar corridor may also be considered in future?

Railway mulling giving vacant land to auto-ancillary industry (http://www.deccanherald.com/content/40203/railway-mulling-giving-vacant-land.html)
This report mentions Mangalore in place of Mysore.
Belgaum-Dharwad-Hubli-Shimoga-Udupi-Mangaore may be developed as an automobile corridor along with Bangalore-Bidadi-Ramnagar-Mysore automobile corridor.

Yes, the quadrilateral should really connect Bangalore with Mumbai via Belgaum/Hubli. This is an important link that's been ingored for time immemorial. May be North Kannadigas should demand a seperate state vis-a-vis Our Telangana cousins. THen, may be railway and other development will start!

Krishnamoorthy K

December 10th, 2009, 03:20 PM

BANGLAORE: Karnataka Chief Minister’s son B Y Raghavendra, MP, too written a letter to Indian Railway Minister Mamata Bannerjee and thanked her for introducing Bangalore-Shimoga-Bangalore intercity express.

However, he said a developmental works are at the· completion stage in· and around

Shimoga Town. Railway works are required to be fastened on the, same phase. To fulfill the aspirations of the people of Shimoga, I am· requesting you to facilitate the following works for the development of Shimoga area:-

1. Railway is planning to stop the train no. 227/228 between Arsikere-Shinioga-Arsikere this affects the poor people travelling all along Shimoga to Bangalore.

I specially request you to continue· the existing train no. 227/228.

He also urged the Railway Minister to speed up the survey work of Shimoga - Harihara New railway project which is ready announced the budget. The Shimoga - Talaguppa Gauge Conversion railway line is under construction, I request you to commission the same by March 2009.

There is no railway connectivity from Shimoga to Western coast/Konkan railway. Hence the railway line connectivity is very much required. I request you to kindly sanction Talaguppa - Honnavar New' railway line (83 kIn.) in the forth coming railway budget 2010-11.

The 100 feet ring road is under formation around Shimoga town, already 75% of the road is completed. Remaining portion of the land is comes under railway premises. Kindly direct your officers to handover the railway land. State government is ready to handover equivalent alternative land.

Source: Mangalorean (http://mangalorean.com/news.php?newstype=local&newsid=159349)

Bangalore-Karwar train: Muniyappa not interested? (http://www.udayavani.com/showstory.asp?news=0&contentid=723512&lang=1)

engineer.akash

December 12th, 2009, 06:57 AM

Yes, the quadrilateral should really connect Bangalore with Mumbai via Belgaum/Hubli. This is an important link that's been ingored for time immemorial. May be North Kannadigas should demand a seperate state vis-a-vis Our Telangana cousins. THen, may be railway and other development will start!

^^ ahhahaha They wont.........they are better off when compared to south karnataka I can debate with you over this thro mails..........:cheers:

I had been on a NK trip recently..................

Krishnamoorthy K

December 12th, 2009, 09:11 AM

GULBARGA: With a view to prevent secession movements inspired by the success of the Telangana agitation, MPs from Karnataka have decided to exert pressure on the Union Government to fulfil longstanding demands of different parts of the state.

A memorandum demanding among other things, the amendment of article 371 was drafted on Thursday and will be submitted to the Prime Minister in a few days.

Sources told Express that several Karnataka MPs held a meeting at New Delhi on Thursday, which was attended by union ministers Mallikarjun Kharge, and Veerappa Moily, and MPs Chandre Gowda, K B Shanappa and others.

The memorandum drafted at the meeting raises various issues including amending Article 371 of the Constitution on the Telangana model to give special reservation to the backward regions of the state.

It is learnt that amending Article 371 was not on the agenda of the MPs, but Kharge insisted that it should be included in the agenda. Other issues raised in the memorandum include sanctioning of new railway lines, completing long pending railway projects and providing sufficient compensation to the flood affected areas of the state.

Speaking to Express over phone from New Delhi, Kharge confirmed the meeting on Thursday and also the inclusion of the demand of amending Article 371. Gulbarga, December 11 WITH a view to prevent secession movements inspired by the success of the Telangana agitation, MPs from Karnataka have decided to exert pressure on the Union Government to fulfil longstanding demands of different parts of the state.

A memorandum demanding among other things, the amendment of article 371 was drafted on Thursday and will be submitted to the Prime Minister in a few days.

Sources told Express that several Karnataka MPs held a meting at New Delhi on Thursday, which was attended by union ministers Mallikarjun Kharge, and Veerappa Moily, and MPs Chandre Gowda, K B Shanappa and others.

The memorandum drafted at the meeting raises various issues including amending Article 371 of the Constitution on the Telangana model to give special reservation to the backward regions of the state.

It is learnt that amending Article 371 was not on the agenda of the MPs, but Kharge insisted that it should be included in the agenda. Other issues raised in the memorandum include sanctioning of new railway lines, completing long pending railway projects and providing sufficient compensation to the flood affected areas of the state.

Speaking to Express over phone from New Delhi, Kharge confirmed the meeting on Thursday and also the inclusion of the demand of amending Article 371.

Read further about 'H-K Horata Samiti warns of a state movement' on EB (http://www.expressbuzz.com/edition/story.aspx?Title=Telangana+spurs+Karnataka+MPs+to+act&artid=tFQnDf1nr%7CU=&SectionID=7GUA38txp3s=&MainSectionID=fyV9T2jIa4A=&SectionName=zkvyRoWGpmWSxZV2TGM5XQ==&SEO=).

^^ Akash, did you visit Hyderabad-Karnataka also? How are the relief works going on?

engineer.akash

December 12th, 2009, 09:30 AM

Read further about 'H-K Horata Samiti warns of a state movement' on EB (http://www.expressbuzz.com/edition/story.aspx?Title=Telangana+spurs+Karnataka+MPs+to+act&artid=tFQnDf1nr%7CU=&SectionID=7GUA38txp3s=&MainSectionID=fyV9T2jIa4A=&SectionName=zkvyRoWGpmWSxZV2TGM5XQ==&SEO=).

^^ Akash, did you visit Hyderabad-Karnataka also? How are the relief works going on?

No krishnamoorthy I did not visit Hyd-kar region That movement will never gain movement as it is groomed just by a bunch of politicians(who had lost their depositis in elections :lol:)

N-K horatta samithi has lost its ears,eyes, every organ is paralyzed.....:lol:

I last heard of it in 2003 after that it just vanished...........

In a way formation of telanga state is good for the hyd-kar region as it will put enormous pressure on the centre to act on article 371............:banana:

with kharge in the centre probably he can influence manmohan to implement the 371.............congress has lost its ground in the southern region it os high time that the centre puts 371 into effetc in hyd - kar region else soon it will come under BJP.............:cheers:

Krishnamoorthy K

December 13th, 2009, 06:25 PM

One week old news:

GULBARGA: If things go as planned, the long-pending demand of the people of Gulbarga and Raichur will soon be a reality.

According to sources, the Railway department has given the green signal for doubling the railway line between Gulbarga and Hutagi on the busy Mumbai-Delhi and Chennai-Bangalore track.

The Department, which has already completed survey on the route, is expected to invite tenders shortly.

Station Manager Pratap Singh Yadav told Express that once it materialises, there would be no restriction in introducing more trains on this route.

At present, trains run on a single line from Wadi to Hutagi.

Doubling work has already been completed from Hutagi to Solapur.

With the track doubling between Gulbarga and Hutagi, the Railways could start one more train from Solapur to Bangalore.

The KRV had staged agitations to pressurise the Railways to take up track-doubling between Gulbarga and Solapur.

The decision to change its earlier plan to lay a line between Dound and Gulbarga, including Mohol to Khem in Maharashtra, had invited the wrath of the KRV.

When the Railways proposed to start work from Mohol, KRV members protested in front of Gulbarga railway station. They pointed out that for the work from Mohol to Khem, 174 bridges had to be constructed, while only three bridges were needed for doubling the line between Gulbarga and Solapur. Following stiff opposition, the Railways took up track doubling work.

Source: EB (http://www.expressbuzz.com/edition/story.aspx?Title=Gulbarga,+Hotgi+Railway+track+to+be+doubled&artid=72W493rbN2A=&SectionID=7GUA38txp3s=&MainSectionID=fyV9T2jIa4A=&SectionName=zkvyRoWGpmWSxZV2TGM5XQ==&SEO=)

engineer.akash

December 15th, 2009, 07:58 PM

Connectivity to go up by 28.2 km for every 1,000 sq km
Railways growth on track in State

P M Raghunandan, dec 15, Bangalore:

Karnataka’s railway infrastructure is poised for a big leap in the coming days. The State will be able to boast about its railway infrastructure facilities once the current 20 railway projects, including new lines, gauge conversion and doubling of track, are completed, which are estimated to take nearly five years.

According to a recent study by the State Infrastructure Development Department, the State’s railway network will go up to 28.2 km for every 1,000 sq km area against the present 16.9 km. Similarly, 10.3 km of rail network will be available for every 1 lakh population against the present 6.2 km on completion of these projects.
Presently, all the neighbouring States are far ahead of Karnataka in terms of railway infrastructure facilities. The State has just 3,250 km of railway network, including all gauges. Andhra Pradesh has 5,172 km, Tamil Nadu 4,131 km and Maharastra has 5,535 km.

As many as 10 new railway line projects, including Kottur-Harihar, Gulbarga-Bidar, Munirabad-Mehaboobnagar, covering nearly 1,868 km, two gauge conversion projects covering 625 km and eight doubling projects including Bangalore-Mysore covering 249 km are being implemented in the State. Six of these projects have been taken up on a cost sharing basis.
Poor railway connectivity has been the State government’s biggest grouse. This, according to official sources has adversely impacted the State’s economic development. Improper railway connectivity has had a bad effect on the development of ports.

Though efforts of the successive State governments to secure more projects from the Indian Railways are now yielding results, the State would continue to lag behind when compared to the neighbouring States in terms of electrification of routes.
The State has just 138 km (4.2 per cent) of electrified railway line, while Andhra Pradesh has 46.5 per cent, Tamil Nadu has 28.4 per cent and Maharastra has 37.3 per cent. As many as 51.4 per cent of railway line in Kerala is electrified. Presently, only three electrification projects, covering 347 km including Bangalore-Mysore, have been taken up in the State.

“Karnataka will almost be at par with its neighbouring states in terms of railway infrastructure in about five years. However, lot more needs to be done with respect to electrification of existing lines, modernisation of stations and other facilities. Besides, there is a need for providing efficient rail connectivity to ports,” Principal Secretary to State Infrastructure Development Department V Madhu said.

Ongoing projects New lines
*Kottur-Harihar - 67 km
*Kadur-Chikmagalur - 93 km
*Hassan-Bangalore - 166 km
*Hubli-Ankola - 167 km
*Bangalore-Satyamangalam via Kanakapura - 260 km
*Munirabad-Raichur - 170 km
*Gadwal-Raichur - 22 km
*Bangalore-Kadapa - 244.4 km
*Bidar-Gulbarga - 106 km
*Raydurga-Tumkur - 130 km

Gauge conversion
*Shimoga-Talaguppa - 97 km
*Kolar-Chikkaballapur - 95 km (Doubling)
*Dharwad-Kambargani - 26.2 km
*Hubli-Hebsur - 18.7 km
*Arsikere-Birur - 44 km
*Ramanagar-Mysore - 94 km
*Bangalore-K R Puram-White Field - 23 km
*Yelahanka-Channasandra - 12.9 km
*Yeshwanthpur-Yelahanka - 12 km
*Kankanadi-Panamburu -
19 km

http://www.deccanherald.com/content/41512/railways-growth-track-state.html

^^ xetairex I guess Muniyappa has heard us..............:)

xetairex

December 17th, 2009, 12:33 AM

"xetairex I guess Muniyappa has heard us.............."

I sure hope so, but I doubt he is reading this forum. :)

No long term plans for developing trunk lines still. Piecemeal growth is what I see here, except for Mysore-Bangalore. Still, this is a step in the right direction for sure.:cheers:

engineer.akash

December 17th, 2009, 12:27 PM

MPs demand Bangalore-Mangalore train extension to Karwar

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangalore, Dec 17: MP of Mangalore Nalin Kumar Kateel and MP of Udupi-Chikmagalur D V Sadananda Gowda requested K Muniyappa, the union minister of state for railways to extend the day and night trains from Mangalore to Bangalore to Karwar in Uttara Kannada through Udupi and Kundapura.

In a letter to Union Minister Muniyappa, the two MPs said that the extension of the Bangalore-Mangalore train was against the best interests of the people of coastal Karnataka. Political forces were responsible for it.

In their letter to Muniyappa, the two MPs stated that the railway along Bangalore, Hassan, and Mangalore generated a lot of profit. The railway is the only connection between Bangalore, the capital city of Karnataka, and Mangalore, the only port city of Karnataka. They said that people in thousands commute along these railways. Also, the railways are used to transport millions of tonnes of iron ore for the purpose of shipping.

They said that the benefits of the people of Karnataka have been forcibly snatched away from them.

http://www.mangaloretoday.com/mt/index.php?action=news_briefs&type=327#327

xetairex the day when we get double -electrified track between bangalore and belgaum then only I would say Karnataka has got its due from the railways................:)

Krishnamoorthy K

December 17th, 2009, 04:54 PM

* Eight such units likely in three divisions
* ‘Energy Conservation’ seminar in Hubli
* Each unit may generate 5 MUs every year

HUBLI: General Manager of South Western Railway Kuldeep Chaturvedi has said that the zone was thinking of installing eight wind power generation units of 2 MW each in Hubli, Bangalore and Mysore divisions.

Delivering a keynote address at a seminar on “Energy Conservation” held as part of the “Energy Conservation Week” in Hubli on Tuesday, Mr. Chaturvedi said that each unit was expected to generate around 5 million units of power every year.

He said that for remote stations, level crossings and tunnels, the Railways was exploring the use of small capacity wind plus solar hybrid systems for electrification purpose.

Such a move would bring down carbon emissions attributable to the Railways substantially and also help in gaining carbon credits correspondingly, he said.

Mr. Chaturvedi said, “Energy saved is energy generated”. He elaborated the ways and means of saving energy at various railway stations, offices, workshops and asked the electrical engineers to suggest innovative methods to save energy.

In his inaugural address, V.K. Tempe, Chief Electrical Engineer of South Western Railway, provided details of the power consumption by the zone and highlighted the various steps taken to save energy.

Manoj Mahajan made a presentation on energy conservation. Smita Srivastava and R.N. Meena presented technical papers on energy issues. Senior railway officials J.D. Goswami, S. Lakshminarayana, S.K. Behera, M. Ramchandran, S. Mohan, Adesh Sharma, Vikrant Kalra, C.N. Mehrotra and Chief Public Relations Officer S.P. Shastri were present.

Source: The Hindu (http://www.hindu.com/2009/12/17/stories/2009121753470300.htm)

Akash, you asked for electrification. They are going to have windmills to generate electricity all along Mysore-Bangalore-Belgaum route.

engineer.akash

December 17th, 2009, 05:20 PM

^^ great news krishnamoorthy. Hope they listen to what I want. :)

avi mangalore

December 18th, 2009, 06:00 AM

http://www.mangaloretoday.com/mt/index.php?action=news_briefs&type=327#327

xetairex the day when we get double -electrified track between bangalore and belgaum then only I would say Karnataka has got its due from the railways................:)

pls add this also , the day mangalore bangalore track and konkan railway track is doubled then even i also would say karnataka has got its due from the railways

Krishnamoorthy K

December 18th, 2009, 08:14 PM

As part of its plan to attract more investments into the state, the Karnataka government is in the process of inviting more private players to increase public-private-partnership (PPP) in the state. This will be extended to sectors like Railways which has not seen much projects as PPPs so far.

“We are looking at PPPs in nine projects in Railways. Earlier, PPP in Railways was only talked about. Nowadays, we are seeing it transforming into reality,” said V Madhu, principal secretary, Infrastructure Development Department, Government of Karnataka.

It is estimated investment into extending the rail network connectivity would be to the tune of Rs 23,300 crore by 2020.

As a first step to attract private partners, the government’s preparations for the global investors meet is on in full swing. It was postponed from January to June 2010 due to the flood situation in Karnataka.

“We have identified 112 important projects that would require private partnerships. We are making profiles for each industry and accessing global companies and counsulate offices. We will hold roadshows, presentations and discussions on the projects to market them in other countries,” said Madhu. Government and industry members have estimated that investment of close to around Rs 2,00,000 crore could be pledged during the event.

The government has identified steel, cement, food processing, IT/BT, automobile, readymade garments, sugar, pharma, power and media and entertainment as its main growth sectors in the coming year. The government has notified around 30,000 acres of industrial land for upcoming projects. It would look at allocating land especially in the Suvarna Karnataka Development corridor which would cover 11 district headquarters and more than 20 major towns along the highways and major roads and rail links.

The government is also focusing on developing minor ports in the state. Karnataka has a 300-km-long coastline and 10 minor ports. For its proposed Tadri Port project, the government is planning a capacity of 34 mtpa in the first phase which is expected to be read by 2013.

An investment of Rs 3,000 crore is expected into it. The state will create a special purpose vehicle (SPV) for the purpose with a private partner where the government will retain a 26 per cent stake. For this, the government has acquired 1,200 acres of land. The government will make a notification on the private partners in the coming months.

Source: BS (http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/karnataka-keen-toppps-for-upcoming-projects/380001/)

PPP projects are not moving as per a DHNS news posted in Karnataka projects thread.

^^ Somebody from NE Karnataka please talk, when would you say karnataka has got its due from the railways?

xetairex

December 19th, 2009, 01:05 AM

^^ Somebody from NE Karnataka please talk, when would you say karnataka has got its due from the railways?

When trunk lines are doubled and electrified: Bangalore - Belgaum,
Bangalore - Mangalore, Konkan Railway, and the main line to New Delhi from Bangalore. All are important and ignored while small states like Kerala routinely get doubling and elecrtrfication almost everywhere in the state.

Start with Bangalore-Belgaum and Bangalore - Mangalore. KR is a little more difficult owing to engineering challenges.

Krishnamoorthy K

December 20th, 2009, 12:05 PM

The map combines the details of earlier maps, post#128 and the details in
http://www.praja.in/en/blog/kbsyed61/2009/02/16/karnataka-and-railways-game-praja-initiative

I could not locate Kambargani on google map (*Dharwad-Kambargani - 26.2 km). Hence it is not drawn. Similarly small lines around Bangalore, Mangalore are not drawn.

In the map I think the lines around Hospet and Kalburgi (Gulbarga) should be straightened up.

In North East Karnataka I have connected (orange lines) the cities which appear on google map at this scale. I am not sure whether they are the biggest cities in those regions or whether the lines benefit maximum number of people. Of course, other details like resources, industrialization factors should also be considered while planning for new railway lines.

Number of lines cutting Western Ghats are kept to a minimum, hence recommended to be electrified double lines. The main corridors are drawn with thick lines and expected to be electrified double lines.

http://i50.tinypic.com/f1y04w.jpg

As there is an objection by environmentalists for NH-212 cutting Bandipur NP, we could have a road and a railway connection to Kerala through Kushalnagar or Hunsur. Mysore can be connected with G-Q, N-E corridors through Kollegal and Dharmapuri. Similarly Northern Karnataka can be connected to Ratnagiri port and other important cities of Maharashtra and AP.

The industrialization near western ghats should be a minimum. Regions like Madikeri, Sakaleshpur-Hassan, Chikmaglur, Thirthahalli-Shimoga, west of Hubli-Dharwad-Belgaum should not be industrialized. Similarly Bhatkal-Karwar region also have enough greenery to be saved.

engineer.akash

December 20th, 2009, 07:15 PM

engineer.akash

December 23rd, 2009, 08:26 PM

Vintage signalling system to be preserved at City railway station

Old beauty signals goodbye

S Lalitha Bangalore Dec 23 DH News Service
http://www.deccanherald.com/images/editor_images/December%202009/24th%20DEC%202009/state-signal.jpg

With the old giving way to the new, cabins housing the traditional signalling systems at the City railway station were dismantled and a single computerised signalling system began operations recently.

Traditional signalling system.However, the railways is just not able to let go of its 40-plus electrical-mechanical signalling system in one of its cabins which is part of Bangalore Division’s history. The cabin with the machine are now set to be preserved for posterity.

The mammoth machine has been assembled from parts exported from different parts of India and abroad. According to sources, the frame bearing control switches dates back to 1967 and was bought from Podanur in Tamil Nadu, when Bangalore was part of the Southern Railway Division. The 20 locks, located underground were been manufactured by Siemens and General Electric, London nearly 50 years ago. The age of the levers, which had been operated manually all these years is uncertain. “It has been in existence since our operations began and may be more than 50 years old but no one is aware of the actual age,” a source said.

Two other cabins bearing the fully mechanical signalling system have now been dismantled. “This cabin, at the end of the first platform, and the equipment will be preserved. It would be a vital learning process for railway staff and to public interested in railway heritage and antique objects,” said a source.

“It is vintage by Railway standards,” said Divisional Railway Manager, Bangalore Division, Akhil Agrawal. “Equipment used for operational purposes are generally changed every 25 years due to wear and tear. We are fortunate that this machine was used for more than 40 years and it functioned perfectly well till its last day,” he said. The high quality of the products used to assemble it and periodic oiling and maintenance have helped in lengthening its life span, he added. Spares for the machines are no longer available and the Railways had acquired a modernised system before the archaic machine gave way.
The levers sometimes got stuck but the problems were managed due to extra levers in place, he said.

There is no plan to move it to the Rail Museum in Mysore which is a storehouse of railway antiques. “The parts have to be shifted and reassembled again if we decide to relocate it. It is a vital part of the signalling history here and so we have decided to retain it here,” said a source.

http://www.deccanherald.com/content/42991/old-beauty-signals-goodbye.html

Krishnamoorthy K

December 24th, 2009, 05:07 AM

^^ Is there a Railway Museum in the state? If not Davanagere at the center of Karnataka can be a ideal candidate.

Karunanidhi to flag off Chennai-Mangalore Train tomorrow (http://beta.thehindu.com/news/states/tamil-nadu/article68027.ece)
Mangalore-Puducherry route becomes shorter (http://www.deccanchronicle.com/chennai/mangalore-pondy-route-becomes-shorter-488)

Railways have worked out the rail route for the express in such a way that it would take only 14 hours for a passenger from Mangalore Central to reach Puducherry.

engineer.akash

December 24th, 2009, 09:02 AM

^^ Is there a Railway Museum in the state? If not Davanagere at the center of Karnataka can be a ideal candidate.

Karunanidhi to flag off Chennai-Mangalore Train tomorrow (http://beta.thehindu.com/news/states/tamil-nadu/article68027.ece)
Mangalore-Puducherry route becomes shorter (http://www.deccanchronicle.com/chennai/mangalore-pondy-route-becomes-shorter-488)

Yes krishnamoorthy There is a railway museum in Mysore................:cheers:

engineer.akash

December 24th, 2009, 08:27 PM

Environment ministry to relook at Hubli-Ankola project

M L Kapur, TNN 24 December 2009, 11:09pm IST

HUBLI: The jinxed Hubli-Ankola broadgauge rail line project has got a fresh lease of life with the Union ministry of environment and forests deciding to review the revised proposal submitted by the railway ministry, bringing down the forest land required by it in the fragile ecosystem of Western Ghats.

Additional director general of the environment ministry, P B Gangopadhyay, will on Monday inspect the forest land required for the Rs 1,050-crore project designed to connect north Karnataka hinterland with the coastal region for access to Karwar port. The work on the project was stalled after it was denied environmental clearance in 2004.

Gangopadhyay will be accompanied on filed inspection by nodal officer of Karnataka forest department, state chief wildlife warden and senior officials of the South Western Railway. He will also discuss the project with MPs at Karwar and Hubli during his day-long tour.

The project, considered crucial for economic development of the region, was taken up in 2003. It is a 50:50 joint venture between railway ministry and Karnataka Rail Infrastructure Development Enterprise (KRIDE), a special-purpose vehicle created for expansion of rail network in the state.

Pending environmental clearance, SWR had started laying track in the non-forest area from Hubli to Kalgatghi. But then, it hit a roadblock when environmental clearance was denied to it by the central government in June 2004 in view of adverse observations made by the forest advisory committee.

Even as the Central Empowered Committee of Supreme Court was still examining this matter in totality, the state forest department developed cold feet. In March 2008, it recommended to the government that the Kalgatghi-Ankola portion of the line "be dropped once for all" as it will serve no purpose.

However, senior SWR officials maintain that the project was still viable. The revised alignment, they say, takes care of the environmental concerns as "we have introduced elevated rail tracks across the traditional elephant migratory corridors and at spots near the watering holes of wild animals in the Western Ghats' section of the line."

In September 2006, Central Empowered Committee had advised the railway ministry to stop work on the 40-km Hubli-Kalgatghi stretch even in non-forest areas till the matter was examined in totality. Meanwhile, the railway ministry and the state government were told revise the project proposal.

The revised proposal cut the requirement of forest land from 965 hectares to 727 hectares, but it still required felling of 2,65,120 tress in the fragile ecosystem of Western Ghats as the proposed railway alignment fragmented the traditional elephant migratory corridor and catchments of Kali, Bedthi and Gangavali rivers.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hubli/Environment-ministry-to-relook-at-Hubli-Ankola-project/articleshow/5375380.cms

engineer.akash

December 24th, 2009, 09:49 PM

Two railway stations will be made world class: Muniyappa

Staff Correspondent

‘Over 29 railway stations will be made model stations in the next few years’

Minister disappointed with the manner in which the rail underpass is being constructed

He suggested that certain portions be dismantled and modified

http://www.hindu.com/2009/12/25/images/2009122551730301.jpg
Checking: Union Minister of State for Railways K.H. Muniyappa inspecting the work on the underpass in Davangere on Thursday.

DAVANGERE: Union Minister of State for Railways K.H. Muniyappa has said the railway stations in Bangalore and Mangalore will be made “world class” and over 29 railway stations will be made “model” stations in the State in the next few years. A committee has been formed to work out modalities for the construction of these railway stations.

Speaking to presspersons here on Thursday, Mr. Muniyappa said a shopping complex, restrooms and other facilities would be provided at the stations.

He said that the Government wanted to involve private parties in laying new railway lines and constructing railway stations.

Mr. Muniyappa said that the Railways had been dogged by funds shortage. Hence the Government had invited private parties to be a part of the new projects. The Government would contribute 20 per cent of the total cost of the project while the private parties would contribute the remaining 80 per cent and complete the project. Ways of repaying the private parties was being worked out, he said.

To a question, Mr. Muniyappa said that the Union Government was actively considering laying a direct railway line between Davangere and Bangalore via Chitradurga, Hiriyur, Sira and Tumkur. He said that if the State Government contributed half of the total project cost, the Railways would take up the project next year.

Shamanur Shivashankarappa, MLA; Abdul Jabbar, president of the Davangere Congress Committee and Anjaneya, Congress leader, were present.
Inspection

Earlier, the Minister inspected the work on the underpass near the Davangere Cotton Mills.

Mr. Muniyappa expressed disappointment with the manner in which the railway underpass was being constructed. He instructed the officials to construct the bridge in such a way that the railway track would be straight.

The Minister suggested that certain portions of the underpass be dismantled and modified to ensure that accidents did not occur. He criticised the officials’ lack of common sense and said that accidents occurred because of defective design, engineering and construction.

The Minister said that he would release the funds needed to modify the bridge.

The Minister also visited the level-crossing near Ashok cinema and said an underpass would be constructed there to ease traffic. He said that if either the Government or the Davangere City Corporation deposited half the total cost of constructing the underpass, the Railways would complete the work within a year. He suggested that the corporation write a letter to the Railways requesting it to construct an underpass and in turn the Railways would prepare an estimate for the work.

Earlier in the day, Mr. Muniyappa took part in a mass marriage organised by Sri Gururamadasa Adyathma Mandira Trust.

Krishnamoorthy,Xetairex I dont know what exactly he means by world class,He has left Mysore and Hubli from the list of world class stations.

Looks like IR is facing funds shortage...........:ohno:

Krishnamoorthy K

December 25th, 2009, 06:10 AM

Akash, ultimately all railway stations should be of world class, corporation cities getting first priority. Population, traffic, revenue, etc being the criteria on priotirizing.

engineer.akash

December 25th, 2009, 08:44 PM

One more train between Arsikere and Mysore

Staff Correspondent

HASSAN: Minister of State for Railways K.H. Muniyappa has said that a pair of train between Arsikere and Mysore (via Hassan) will be introduced at the earliest and that this will be at the request made by the former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda who represents Hassan in Lok Sabha. The Minister made a brief halt at Arsikere en route to Davanagere on Thursday.

Addressing presspersons, Mr. Muniyappa said the doubling of track between Arsikere and Tumkur was going on in full swing and that before the work could conclude, Arsikere platform that accommodates 18 compartments now would be expanded to accommodate 24 coaches. He said that an underbridge would be constructed at the railway level crossing near Malleswara Nagar in the town. He said that halt for Yeshvanthpur-New Delhi Sampark Kranti Express would be provided at Arsikere.

http://www.hindu.com/2009/12/26/stories/2009122655190800.htm

Krishnamoorthy K

December 28th, 2009, 05:43 AM

If long queues and inordinate delays deter you from taking that railway journey, here’s some good news. Bangalore Division of South Western Railway has decided to open more Jansadharan Ticket Booking Sewaks (JTBS) in and around Bangalore.

Expansion project

South Western Railway already advertised for opening 118 more Jansadharan centres across the State. “We have been receiving good response this time and after scrutinising the applications we will give permission for new centres within a month. Our aim is to avoid all inordinate delay and inconvenience for our passengers,” adds Pandey.

New JTBS centres will come up around Bangalore City, Bangalore Cantonment, Bangalore East, Banaswadi, Krishnarajapuram, Whitefield, Kengeri, Bidadi, Ramanagaram, Channapatna, Maddur, Mandya, Pandavapura, Srirangapatna, Malur, Tyakal, Bangarpet Jn., Kuppam, Chikbanawar, Kyatasandra, Tumkur , Hebbal, Banaswadi, Anekal, Hosur, Dharmapuri, Yelahanka, Doddaballapur, Gauribidanur, Chikkaballapur and Devanahalli railway stations.

Source: DHNS (http://www.deccanherald.com/content/43639/more-railway-ticket-counters-city.html)

Krishnamoorthy K

December 28th, 2009, 07:03 PM

MANGALORE: The Mangalore Railway Development Action Committee (MRDAC) has urged Union minister of state for railways Muniyappa to establish the Mangalore railway division as travellers in the region are not well-served by the existing division at Palghat.

Speaking to reporters here on Monday, P V Mohan, convener of the committee, said the region had enough railway lines to constitute a separate division without touching the Kerala railway lines. Since the minimum standard requirement is 500 km for a division, it can be easily done by taking the Mangalore-Hassan, Mangalore-Madgoan and lines.

Mohan also touched upon the long pending over bridge at Alape village near Kankanady railway station, urging Muniyappa to consider the bridge as the demand has been pending since a decade.

Apart from this, Mohan reminded the minister that the Mangalore Bangalore train (Train No.6515/6516) which was resumed after a long hiatus, were running packed to capacity. He said after the train was extended to Kannur aged persons, women, children, and handicapped were put to extreme hardship as the reservation quota had been reduced. He said the people of the region feel let down by this decision.

In view of these developments, the committee felt that the disadvantages of the proposed extension can be off set if the existing Kannur-Yeshwantpur Express train No. 6527/6528 is extended to Mangalore.

Mohan also noted that besides, the reservation quota and tatkal facilities in Mangalore- Bangalore passenger train (6515/6516) was withdrawn following the decision to extend the Mangalore- Bangalore passenger train (6515/6516) to Kannur. Mohan observed that reservation quota for Mangalore was meager 65 seats out of 425 seats and also people of this region have to pay the tatkal from Cannanore for travelling from Mangalore to Bangalore.

This should also be addressed without any delay, he added.

In addition to the main demand, the committee also listed others like doubling the Mangalore-Mumbai Railway line:; execution of second rail track between Mangalore- Hassan: Completion of Shravanabelagola- Bangalore railway line and commencement of Mangalore- Shravanabelagola passenger train; trains to Bajpe Airport; Introducing new train from Hubli via Londa- Kundapur- Mangalore Junction to Bangalore; Improvement of Mangalore Junction Station; Introducing the Mangalore- Hyderabad express train via Arisekere- Chitradurga, Managlore-Dadar via Madgaon- Belgaum, Mangalore- Palghat- Katpadi-Tirupathi and Goa- Mangalore Mysore Fast passenger train and halt for all night trains at Mangalore Central.

Source: TOI (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mangalore/Panel-for-local-rly-division/articleshow/5389123.cms)

Krishnamoorthy K

December 29th, 2009, 06:01 PM

Railways to upgrade 1,000 level crossings to check accidents (http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/business/railways-to-upgrade-1000-level-crossings-to-check-accidents_100296356.html)

Bangalore, Dec 29 (IANS) The Indian Railways will upgrade about 1,000 level crossings across the country to prevent accidents at unmanned inter-sections, Minister of State for Railways K.H. Muniyappa said Tuesday.
“Out of 1,600 level crossings across the country that require to be upgraded, about 1,000 of them will be taken up during fiscal 2010-11 to build railway over bridges or underpasses for ensuring safety of passengers and people,” Muniyappa told reporters here.

In Karnataka, 58 bridges with road over or under the rail tracks will be completed in the next two years.

“The state government has come forward to fund about 20 rail projects across the state under the public-private partnership (PPP) model. The railway board will take up the project proposals next month to include as many of them in the railway budget for fiscal 2010-11,” Muniyappa said.

The railway ministry is waiting for environmental clearances to take up the Hubli-Ankola line, as a section of the route will pass through the rich bio-diverse Western Ghats region.

“Similarly, we will consider a new line between Bangalore and Satyamangalam on Karnataka-Tamil Nadu border after the environment ministry gives nod, as the central empowerment committee raised objection due to the elephant corridor on the proposed route across the forest area,” the minister added.

Sliver of hope for Hubli-Ankola rail project (http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/sliverhope-for-hubli-ankola-rail-project/380983/)

The environment and forests ministry has decided to review the revised proposal submitted by the Railways for the Hubli-Ankola broad gauge rail line project. The decision has given the jinxed project a fresh lease of life.

The revised proposal submitted by the railway ministry has reduced the forest land required by it for the project in the fragile ecosystem of Western Ghats.

The Rs 1,050-crore project is designed to connect North Karnataka hinterland with the coastal region for access to the Karwar port. Work on the project was stalled after it was denied environmental clearance in 2004.

Dharwad MP Prahlad Joshi who has taken up the issue with the Centre said the decision to take a relook at the proposal was a welcome step and hoped the inspection to yield favourable results for Karnataka. The revised proposal has cut the requirement of forest land from 965 hectares to 727 hectares. But it requires the felling of 265,120 trees in the fragile ecosystem of Western Ghats as the proposed railway alignment fragmented the traditional elephant migration corridor and catchments of the Kali, Bedthi and Gangavali rivers.

The Hubli-Ankola rail line project, considered crucial for economic development of the region, was taken up in 2003. It is a 50:50 joint venture between the railway ministry and Karnataka Rail Infrastructure Development Enterprise (KRIDE), a special-purpose vehicle created for expansion of the rail network in the state.

The South Western Railway had begun laying the track in the non-forest area — from Hubli to Kalghatgi — pending clearance from the environment department, which was denied in June 2004 following adverse remarks of the forest advisory committee.

Even as the Central Empowered Committee of the Supreme Court was still examining the matter in its totality, the state forest department developed cold feet. In March 2008, it recommended to the government that the Kalghatgi-Ankola portion of the line “be dropped once for all” as it will serve no purpose.

However, senior SWR officials maintain that the project was still viable. “The revised alignment takes care of the environmental concerns as we have introduced elevated rail tracks across the traditional elephant migration corridors and at spots near the watering holes of wild animals in the Western Ghats section of the line,” an official said.

The Central Empowered Committee had advised the railway ministry in September 2006 to stop work on the 40-km Hubli-Kalghatgi stretch even in the non-forest areas till the matter was examined in its entirety. Meanwhile, the railway ministry and the state government were asked to revise the project proposal.

Central team inspects alignment proposed by the railway department (http://www.sahilonline.org/english/news.php?catID=coastalnews&nid=7092&viewed=0)

Karwar: A Central team deputed by the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests inspected the alignment proposed by the railway department for the construction of Hubli-Ankola rail line along the national highway 63 on Monday.

The team is headed by P B Gangopadhyaya, additional director in the ministry. K S Reddy, chief conservator of forests in the department of environment and forests and pained Gangopadhyaya.

Gangopadhyaya told reporters at the Forest Bungalow in Karwar that the railway authorities had placed before the team their justification for building the proposed rail line. However, the based on the impact of the project on forest composition, the habitat of wild life, the bio-diversity and conse3rvation of environment. He said the report would consider the views of the public and the people's representatives including Uttara Kannada MP Ananthkumar Hegde and Dharwad MP Prahlad Joshi.

The view point of the railways would also be taken into account to derive a balanced report.

Meanwhile, the officials of South-West Railways including Vijaykumaran, chief administrative officer, and Abdul Rehman, chief engineer, explained to the Central team about the project. They said around 700 hectares of forest land has to be acquired for the project. As regards the traffic projection, they are said to have stated that around 45 million tonnes of iron ore can be transported annually to Karwar, Belekeri and Mangalore ports and the port at Vasco in Goa. According to them it would be more economical to reach the port at Goa through Hubli-Ankola rail line rather than through Londa, since the Hubli-Londa rail line was laid quite a while back. Also, the goods carried by four locomotives through Hubli-Londa rail line can be carried by one locomotive through proposed Hubli-Ankola reported to have argued that the emission of carbon dioxide would be much less compared to road transport. The forest land required for the project is comparable to that required for the development of the proposed four lane road along the national highway 63. Moreover, the public at large are in favour of the project, the railway officials are said to have argued.

The railway officials reportedly suggested four different alignments for the project, However, Vijaykumaran refused to comment on the projects. He said that the project was proposed by the state government and the task of the railways was to implement it.

The environmentalists are of the opinion that the project would cause irreparable loss to fauna and flora in the Western Ghats region along the alignment. They point out that the proposed alignment passes through elephant corridor in Yellapur taluk. Obviously the project would effect it, they said.

Krishnamoorthy K

December 29th, 2009, 06:04 PM

Bangalore, Dec 29 (IANS) The maiden non-stop Duranto express from Bangalore to Howrah will be flagged off Jan 3, union Minister of State for Railways K.H. Muniyappa said here Tuesday.

“The non-stop Duranto will leave Yeshvantpur station Jan 3 at 11.15 a.m. and reach Howrah Jan 4 at 4 p.m. Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee will flag off the Howrah-Bangalore Duranto Wednesday, which will reach here Thursday,” Muniyappa told reporters here.

During her visit to Bangalore Dec 8, Banerjee announced that the first Duranto from Karnataka would be her New Year gift to the people of the state.

Four of the nine new trains sanctioned for Karnataka this fiscal (2009-10) have been made operational recently. The remaining five will be commenced by February.

“The Yeshvantpur-Mysore express and Tirupati-Mysore express will be extended up to Chamarajanagar from Jan 3. Similarly, the Mumbai-Karwar express in the coastal region will be extended up to Mangalore soon,” Muniyappa noted.

Of the new trains, the Bangalore-Kuchuveli super-fast express and Bangalore-Lucknow-Rae Bareli express will begin in February.

Source: Thaindian News (http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/business/bangalore-howrah-duranto-to-begin-jan-3_100296365.html)

engineer.akash

December 29th, 2009, 08:16 PM

^^ Much of it is in the hands of the state govt to convince MoF

Hubli-Ankola railway line in a limbo

TNN 29 December 2009, 10:27pm IST

HUBLI: The state government will have to provide a very strong argument in favour of building the Hubli-Ankola railway link if it wants the Union forest ministry to clear the project, a senior forest officer said here on Monday.

Dr P B Gangopadhyaya, additional director general of forests, who headed a team that inspected forest areas meant to be cleared for building the railway line, told MP Prahlad Joshi that the forest ministry was open-minded about the project.

"All these years, it has been straight and simple. The project was not cleared as it would damage trees and wildlife in one of the most pristine ecosystems in the country," Gangopadhyaya said.

According to him, the state government and the railways' only argument was that it would help carry iron ore to the Tadadi, Bilikere and Karwar ports. But this was not convincing as market fluctuations can push down the demand for ore in international markets.

"However, if the state government makes other, stronger arguments like it'll help developing backward areas in the state, then the ministry of environment and forests and the Supreme Court centrally empowered committee that are looking into the issue would take a balanced view of the issue, he said.

He welcomed Joshi's idea that building a railway line and diverting traffic and freight transport on to the line would cause less environment damage than doubling national highways in Karwar district. He asked state government and railway officials to record these facts in an affidavit before the apex court and back them by supporting documents.

The project was planned a decade ago. However, it was rejected by the forest ministry four times in the past. Later in 2007, environmentalists challenged the project, saying it would destroy large-green patches in the western ghats, one of the bio-diversity hotspots in the world.

The SC has now referred the matter to a centrally-empowered committee. The CEC is supposed to inspect the project very soon.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hubli/Hubli-Ankola-railway-line-in-a-limbo/articleshow/5392766.cms

engineer.akash

December 29th, 2009, 08:23 PM

Railways implementing Rs 2,870-cr projects in State

Costs being shared by Railways and Karnataka Govt.

http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2009/12/30/images/2009123051871701.jpg

Partnering development: Mr K H Muniyappa, Ministerof State, Railways addressing a press conference inBangalore on Tuesday. - G.R.N. Somashekar

Our Bureau

http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2009/12/30/images/2009123051871702.jpg

Bangalore, Dec. 29

The Union Minister of State for Railways, Mr K.H. Muniyappa, announced on Wednesday that at least seven projects – comprising gauge conversion, track doubling and laying new lines – amounting to about Rs 2,870 crore were in various stages of implementation.

In all these cases, the project cost is being shared by the Railways and the State Government.

A press release issued on the occasion says that 65 km of new lines, 57 km of gauge conversion, 54 km of doubling and six overbridges, including two in the Bangalore region, will be completed in 2009-10.

The targeted projects for 2009-10 include a 65 km new line between Kuttur and Harihar, which would be open to goods services by March 31, 2010, and to passenger services by September 30.

The Rs 225-crore Shimoga-Talguppa gauge conversion project, to be implemented in two phases, is also expected to be executed by 2009-10. The first phase of 57 km from Shimoga to Anandapuram is expected to be completed by March 31, 2010, and the second phase of 40 km from Anandapuram to Talguppa by June 30.

New lines

Mr Muniyappa said that new line surveys for Chikkaballapura-Puttaparthy, Madanapalle-Srinivasapura, Anekal-Bidadi, Shimoga-Harihar, Gadag-Wadi, Almatti-Koppal and Almatti-Yadgir, which were sanctioned in the Budget were in progress. The report would be finalised shortly.

The Minister said that the Kadur-Chickmagalur, via Sakleshpur (93 km), Hassan-Bangalore via Shravanabelagola (166 km), Rayadurga-Tumkur, via Kalyandurg (213 km), Munirabad-(Ginigera)-Raichur (170 km upto Mehboobnagar) could be completed in three or four years, if the land was made available by the State Government.

The work on the 167-km Hubli-Ankola line has been held up as it was pending before the Central Empowerment Committee for clearing 727 ha of forest land. The CEC, he said had denied permission for conducting the survey on the 260 km Bangalore-Sathyamangalam line, which came under forest including an elephant reserve.

http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2009/12/30/stories/2009123051871700.htm

engineer.akash

December 29th, 2009, 08:39 PM

Two track-doubling projects for Bangalore

Special Correspondent

Subways at road over-bridges in Lingarajapuram, Banasawadi, Hebbal and other places planned

Two projects will be implemented at a cost of Rs. 125 crore

Surveys for new railway lines are on, says Muniyappa

BANGALORE: Minister of State for Railways K.H. Muniyappa on Wednesday announced several projects for the State, including track-doubling on two sections in the city with a view to easing congestion on roads.

He told presspersons that track-doubling would be taken up on Yeshwanthpur-Yelahanka and Yelahanka-Channasandra sections at a cost of Rs. 125 crore. The railway authorities had taken up the final location survey.

Subways at road over-bridges in Lingarajapuram, Banasawadi, Hebbal, Fraser Town and other places in the city for easing traffic congestion had been planned in association with the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike. Road over-bridges would be built at Kodigena Halli, Sarjapur and Boopasandra crossings. Road over-bridges and under bridges would be built at Jalahalli across the ring road, Nagawara, Byappanahalli, Kengeri, Bapujinagar and Allalasandra.

Work on the road over-bridge at Whitefield would be completed by March 2010 and widening of Bennigana Halli road under-bridge on Bangalore-Krishnarajapuram (NH 4) would be completed by May 2010. The Bangalore-Whitefield-Krishnarajapuram track-quadrupling work could not be implemented as the State Government had not decided on commuter rail transportation and cost sharing, he said.

Mr. Muniyappa said that surveys for Chickaballapur-Puttaparthy, Madanapalle-Srinivasapura, Anekal-Bidadi, Shimoga-Harihar, Gadag-Wadi, Almatti-Koppal and Almati-Yadgir lines, which were sanctioned in the budget, were in progress. A report would be finalised shortly.

He said the 65-km Kottur-Harihar line would be ready for goods services by March 31 and for passenger services by September 30. Gauge conversion work on the 97-km Shimoga-Talaguppa section (Shimoga-Anandapuram 57 km and Anandapuram-Talaguppa 40 km would be completed by March and June 2010, respectively.

The Minister said that patch-doubling work on the 26.15-km Dharwad-Kambarganvi section (Dharwad-Mugad 13 km and Mugad-Kambarganvi) was likely to be completed by March and December 2010, respectively.

Work on the 44.28-km Arsikere-Birur section (Arsikere-Devanur and Devanur-Birur) would be completed by March 2010 and 2011, respectively.

He said the Kadur-Chikmagalur line via Sakleshpur (93 km), Hassan-Bangalore line via Shravanabelagola (166 km), Rayadurga-Tumkur via Kalyandurg (213 km), Munirabad-(Ginigera)-Raichur (170 km up to Mehabubnagar) could be completed in four years if land was made available by the State Government.

Work on the 167-km Hubli-Ankola line was held up because the Central Empowerment Committee had to give clearance for acquisition of 727 hectares of forestland. The committee had denied permission for conducting a survey on the 260-km Bangalore-Sathyamangalam line as it came under the forestland, he said.
Stop

He said that Kakinada-Bangalore Seshadri Express would stop at Malur and Mysore-Tirupati Fast Passenger at Tykal from January 1.

http://www.hindu.com/2009/12/30/stories/2009123054220500.htm

engineer.akash

December 29th, 2009, 08:40 PM

Path for Ankola-Hubli railway line surveyed

Staff Correspondent

Central team inspects forestland that is to be used for the rail link

Officials asked to file supplementary affidavits justifying the need for the project

Railway Users’ Committee of Yellapur and Ankola submitted two separate memorandums

Hubli: Additional Director-General of Union Ministry of Forest and Environment P.B. Gangopadhya who led the central team that conducted a survey of the re-aligned path of the Ankola-Hubli railway line, has asked the officials of the State Government and also the South Western Railways to submit supplementary affidavits to justify their arguments.

During an interaction with the Member of Parliament from Dharwad Pralhad Joshi and senior officials of the State Infrastructure Department, Forest Department and the South Western Railway on Monday night, Mr. Gangopadhyaya pointed out that unless and until the affidavits submitted before the Central Empowerment Committee (CEC) of the Supreme Court and the Union Ministry of Forest and Environment were supported by adequate documents, survey reports and statistics, their argument would be weak.

During the survey conducted on Monday, which began from Ankola and concluded at Hubli, the team interacted with various groups of people, including elected representatives, lorry drivers and lorry owners and also inspected several stretches of forestland which is proposed to be used for the project.

Mr. Gangopadhyaya said the railway route, which had been proposed mainly keeping in mind the freight traffic, passed through the forestland, which was rich in biodiversity and any argument in justification of the proposed rail route should be supported by adequate statistics and documents.

He said he had observed that during the survey conducted on Monday several new issues had cropped up with regard to the project. But those issues were not mentioned clearly in the affidavits filed before the department. He pointed out that the issues like setting up of big ports at Tadadi, Honnavar and Belakeri had not been mentioned specifically in the earlier affidavits. During the discussion, Pralhad Joshi, MP, referred to the proposal for widening of the existing highway between Hubli and Ankola and wanted to know whether any study had been carried out on the extent of forestland required for the project, the amount of funding, and the possible damage that would be caused to bio-diversity in the event of the project being implemented.

Mr. Gangopadhyaya said there was a need to re-examine the feasibility study of the railways and study the extent of traffic expected on the proposed rail route. “The supplementary affidavits covering additional issues pertaining to the project accompanied by supporting and analytical data should be submitted to the Central Empowerment Committee”, he said.

Mr. Pralhad Joshi said he would discuss the issue with the Chief Minister and urge him to direct the officials concerned to take steps to substantiate their argument in favour of the project before the CEC.
Central team

Karwar Correspondent reports:

The Central team visited Baleguli, Sunksal, Idagundi, Yellapur, Kiravatti and other areas as the environmental groups had raised objection in the past that the forests in these areas would be destroyed if the project of laying the Hubli-Ankola railway line was implemented.

The team comprised P.B. Gangopadhyaya. Additional Director of Union Ministry of Forests and Environment, K.D. Singh, K.G. Reddy, Chief Conservator of Forests, and South Western Railway officials Vijay Kumar and Abdul Rehman.

Anant Kumar Hegde, MP, told the team that the proposed railway line would help in the overall development of the area and will connect Karwar, Belekeri, Goa and Mangalore ports to Hyderabad. He added: “Only a handful of non-governmental organisations and environmentalists are opposing the project”.

The Railway Users’ Committee of Yellapur and Ankola submitted two separate memorandums urging the Centre to implement the project immediately.

http://www.hindu.com/2009/12/30/stories/2009123053540300.htm

xetairex

December 30th, 2009, 04:02 AM

Krishnamoorthy,Xetairex I dont know what exactly he means by world class,He has left Mysore and Hubli from the list of world class stations.

Looks like IR is facing funds shortage...........:ohno:

What he means is, 'I want to give you a placebo and hope you don't complain for another 6 months' :ohno: This is a standard-issue anodyne that lasts for a few months. I am surprised to see people falling for it again and again. Another favorite is ' I am gonna extend this train' or 'I will give you a new express!' (that runs one day of the week, most of the time, late)

What I want to understand is this: on this cost-sharing project concept: are the revenues also shared according to partnership percentages?

I sure hope so, else we are all getting the short shrift.

Krishnamoorthy K

December 30th, 2009, 04:56 AM

Railways to take up major projects in K'taka (http://mangalorean.com/news.php?newstype=broadcast&broadcastid=162347)

Bangalore December 29, 2009: Indian Railways will execute, for the first time, major railway projects involving private investment to the tune of Rs 5,000 crore in Karnataka, Minister of state for Railways K M Muniyappa today said.

Addressing the media here, he said Karnataka was proactive in taking up Railway projects with private investment of upto 75 per cent. It had already submitted draft proposals for 20 such projects.

''The projects will be executed by the Railways with the State government, with the Railways investing only a minor portion of the project cost. ''This will involve laying of mainly new rail lines,'' said Mr Muniyappa.

He said Indian Railways will upgrade about 1,000 level crossings across the country to prevent accidents at unmanned inter-sections. "Out of 1,600 level crossings across the country that require to be upgraded, about 1,000 of them will be taken up during fiscal 2010-11 to build railway over bridges or underpasses for ensuring safety of passengers and people," Muniyappa said.

In Karnataka, 58 bridges with road over or under the rail tracks will be completed in the next two years. "The state government has come forward to fund about 20 rail projects across the state under the public-private partnership (PPP) model. The railway board will take up the project proposals next month to include as many of them in the railway budget for fiscal 2010-11," Muniyappa said.

The railway ministry is waiting for environmental clearances to take up the Hubli-Ankola line, as a section of the route will pass through the rich bio-diverse Western Ghats region.

"Similarly, we will consider a new line between Bangalore and Satyamangalam on Karnataka-Tamil Nadu border after the environment ministry gives nod, as the central empowerment committee raised objection due to the elephant corridor on the proposed route across the forest area," the minister added.

Muniyappa said apart from establishing world class facilities at Bangalore City railway station and Byapanahalli on public- private partnership, Kottu-Harihar new line (Rs305 crore), Shimoga-Talguppa gauge conversion (Rs220 crore), Ramanagaram-Mysore doubling (Rs497 crore), Munirabad-Raichur (Rs497 crore) and Gulbarga-Bidar new line (Rs369 crore) will also be taken up on a cost-sharing basis.

The Karnataka government had said the projects under PPP would be finalised next month and once it was done, they would be placed before the Railway board.

Railway lines on PPP model mooted (http://www.expressbuzz.com/edition/story.aspx?Title=Railway+lines+on+PPP+model+mooted&artid=zzfPLRqG0ik=&SectionID=Qz/kHVp9tEs=&MainSectionID=Qz/kHVp9tEs=&SEO=&SectionName=UOaHCPTTmuP3XGzZRCAUTQ==)

BANGALORE: Union Minister of State for Railways KH Muniyappa on Tuesday said that the state government was preparing a draft for getting 20 new railway projects, on private public partnership (PPP) basis, sanctioned for the state. The proposal will be placed before Parliament after it is approved by the Railway Board.

Muniyappa told reporters, “For the first time in the history of the Indian Railways we are mooting laying of new lines on a PPP mode. At present, there are 63,000 kilometres of railway lines in the country and there is a demand for laying 50,000 kilomet res of new lines. We are not able to meet this demand due to financial constraints. If the PPP mode is approved, it will help us meet the demands at the earliest”.

Muniyappa also said that the railways had decided to convert 1,000 manned level crossings into unmanned level crossings in the country by constructing railway overbridges or underbridges.

The railways is constructing 58 such bridges in the state and is awaiting BBMP’s sanction for nine more bridges.

Union Minister for Railways Mamata Banerjee will flag off the state’s first Duronto train from Howrah to Yeshwantpur on Wednesday.

The train will make its maiden trip on the return direction from Yeshwantpur on January 3, Muniyappa announced.

The Railways will be extending Mysore-Tirupati fast passenger upto Chamarajanagar in the first week of January and the Mumbai-Karwar Express upto Mangalore by the end of January.

It will also introduce Bangalore- Kochuveli superfast express and Lucknow-Rae Bareli-Bangalore Express by February.

With that, all the trains announced for the state would be introduced.

Railways will also be undertaking 57 kilometres of gauge conversion work, 54 kilometre of doubling work and will lay 65 kilometres of new lines, he said.

Muniyappa said that the environment department was yet to give clearance for the Hubli-Ankola and Bangalore-Satyamangalam lines. The high-level committee headed by ADG Gangopadhyaya had surveyed the realigned Hubli-Ankola line and a decision would be taken after it submitted the report.

“I have requested the chief minister to hold a meeting to find solutions to pending issues and remove bottlenecks for the projects,” he added.

^^ There seems to be revenue sharing but how much state governments share is not clear. And also how much control state government will be having about the usage (destinations of the trains to be run) of these lines is not clear.

engineer.akash

December 30th, 2009, 10:25 AM

That is bad,75% borne by Karnataka,while rest of the states wlak away with 100% central funding,still we are treated the way were...........:bash:

Krishnamoorthy K

December 30th, 2009, 11:17 AM

^^ 75% private investment. Mostly Reliance, L&T, etc are candidates?
Does it mean that 25% will be by the Union Railway or the Union Railway & the state government?

engineer.akash

December 30th, 2009, 11:26 AM

^^ 75% private investment. Mostly Reliance, L&T, etc are candidates?
Does it mean that 25% will be by the Union Railway or the Union Railway & the state government?

http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2009/12/30/images/2009123051871702.jpg

Above is just glimps of the sharing of some projects.

Why would reliance,L&T invest 75% & how ould they get back the amount???Will it be profitable for the private investor???

Krishnamoorthy K

December 30th, 2009, 11:57 AM

engineer.akash

December 30th, 2009, 12:02 PM

^^ Correction to my earlier statement - 75% (may be 2/3) is the state share, so 25% will be the contribution from the Union Railways. The state can further go for PPP with private parties to mobilize fund. Revenue sharing model to be decided?

I am not understanding how will private players find IR projects lucrative?, ofcourse NHAI projects are.

Does the State Govt have enough money to take up 75% charges???

Arul Murugan

December 30th, 2009, 01:11 PM

^^ Correction to my earlier statement - 75% (may be 2/3) is the state share, so 25% will be the contribution from the Union Railways. The state can further go for PPP with private parties to mobilize fund. Revenue sharing model to be decided?

I don't think Indian railways will come forward to share a single rupee from the revenue generated of projects shared by state government. Poor railway administration dampening the growth of railway networks in many states.

Arul Murugan

December 30th, 2009, 01:22 PM

That is bad,75% borne by Karnataka,while rest of the states wlak away with 100% central funding,still we are treated the way were...........:bash:

Karnataka and AP were recently sharing the much burden of cost of new line projects. When the Central government owned/controlled Indian railways is not going to share the revenue of the projects, why state gvt should take the burden on them without any benefits? After spending crores of money, IR will operate the same crappy blue dubbas on the tracks.

Instead of spending the money with railways, state government could construct real expressways connecting major tier II cities from Bangalore, which will really helpful for state investment and traveling time will be slashed half than traveling in blue dubba trains or fight with center to get approval for highspeed trains owned by state gvt. IR should not interfere in this! Otherwise they will make a mess.

In TN, state gvt shared the cost of MRTS (elevated Indian railway standard metro). now those looks ugly concrete blocks in Chennai city. Like wise TN gvt shared for many gauge conversion projects, but those are under utilized now stating shortage in coaches, so more trains cannot be operated!
Unless, railways power are transferred to respective states, we have to live with blue dubbas.

Krishnamoorthy K

December 31st, 2009, 05:29 AM

* Creation of a separate Railway Division with Mangalore Junction as the headquarters sought
* Two additional trains between Bangalore and Mangalore sought

MANGALORE: The Mangalore Railway Development Action Committee has submitted three separate memorandums to Minster of State for Railways K.H. Muniyappa demanding better facilities in the region.

One of the main demands, which were submitted earlier this month and released to the press on Monday, is the creation of a separate Railway Division with Mangalore Junction as the headquarters under Southern Railways.

The committee has said that since Mangalore lies at the centre of the Konkan railways connecting Kanyakumari and Mumbai, it would make logistical sense to have a separate division in the city instead of linking it to the Palghat division. The memorandum also pointed out that with the establishment of the Ezhimale Naval Academy in Kerala and the existing base at Karwar, Mangalore will be a destination with connectivity to all the ports in the region.

The memorandum also said that the city is at the centre of an important tourist route that includes the Mysore region, Kerala and Goa. In addition it is also an important medical and educational hub.

In a separate memorandum, the committee asked for two trains between Bangalore and Mangalore in addition to the present trains (6517 and 6518) that were recently extended to Kannur. The other demands include doubling up of the Mangalore-Mumbai railway line, a second rail track between Mangalore and Hassan, commencement of Mangalore-Shravanabelagola passenger train, trains to Bajpe International airport, improvement of Mangalore Junction station, introduction of Mangalore-Hyderabad express train via Arsikere, Mangalore-Dadar via Madgaon, Mangalore-Palghat-Katpadi-Tirupathi and Goa-Mangalore-Mysore fast passenger train.

A separate memorandum has been filed by the committee seeking the construction of a bridge at Alape village in Mangalore taluk.

Pointing out that the demand had been pending for the last 11 years, the committee said that if a bridge was constructed, the distance to Alape from the city will be reduced to 500 m instead of 12 km.

Source: The Hindu (http://www.hindu.com/2009/12/31/stories/2009123160560300.htm)

^^ Along with planning for new lines there should be a plan for manufacturing new trains. Karnataka should have a rail coach factory to cater to its new train needs.

Karnataka (KSTDC) runs Golden Chariot. Karnataka can run other trains also on PPP(?).

Even Karnataka can build Multimodal Transit Centers (like the one I proposed in Mangalore thread) on PPP. It would be nice if every railway station is developed as a Multimodal Transit Point.

Krishnamoorthy K

January 1st, 2010, 05:28 AM

KARWAR: A team comprising Union forest and environment department officials visited Ankola on Monday for an on-spot assessment of land for the proposed-Hubli Ankola railway line.

The team, led by P B Gangopadhyaya, additional director of forest and environment department, had members like K D Singh, K G Reddy, and railway officials Vijay Kumar and Abdul Rehman. The team made a first-hand assessment during their visit to Baleguli, Sunakasal, Idagundi, Chinnapur, and Kiaravatti. They assessed the forest area to be destroyed for the railway line.

The Hubli-Ankola railway line, which has been a long-pending demand of the people of the region, is mired in controversy. Some organizations claim the proposed project would have adverse impact on environment, especially wild animals.

The members of the action committee, which has been demanding the construction of the railway line, met the team and apprised them about the need for the line. They also submitted a memorandum to the team, saying the line would ensure all-round development of the area which, in turn, would generate revenue to the exchequer.

"The Hubli-Ankola railway line would open new business and development opportunities in the region because it can join Konkan railway line and connect Karwar, Belekeri and Mangalore ports with Andhra Pradesh," they claimed.

Highlighting the need for the line, writer Vishnu Naik said the project was envisaged by the British. "But even after 150 years, it has not been materialized," he added.

After receiving the memorandu, Gangopadhyaya said he respects the sentiments of the people and that he would submit the report to the ministry, which he said, will a take a final decision.

Source: TOI (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hubli/Central-team-assesses-land-near-Karwar/articleshow/5400707.cms)

The Story of Konkan Railways Project (http://www.scribd.com/doc/24665577/The-Story-of-Toughest-Konkan-Railways-Project-India-by-Its-Project-Director-E-ran)

engineer.akash

January 1st, 2010, 07:47 PM

Special train between Hubli-Bijapur

Mangalore, Jan.1

South Western Railway (SWR) will run daily express special trains on the Hubli-Bijapur-Hubli route till March 31. A press release by the SWR said here that the train no. 0693 Hubli-Bijapur daily express special will depart from Hubli at 4.15 p.m. and reach Bijapur at 10 p.m. In the return direction, train no. 0694 Bijapur-Hubli daily express special will depart from Bijapur at 11.15 p.m. and reach Hubli at 5.30 a.m., the release added. — Our Bureau

http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2010/01/02/stories/2010010252641100.htm

:happy:

Why only till March 31.......People must protest and make the train permanent

Krishnamoorthy K

January 2nd, 2010, 02:55 PM

The year was very eventful for railways in the state as nine new trains, two world class stations and many works were sanctioned, marking a first for the state in its history as far as the railway projects are concerned.

Eight trains were announced in the budget. Union Minister of State for railways K H Muniyappa got the Bangalore- Mangalore day train sanctioned and Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee announced a Bangalore-Howrah Duronto train during her visit to Bangalore.

Four of these trains, including those announced by Muniyappa and Mamata have already begun services, while the rest of them are expected to be introduced or extended by the end of February 2010.

World class railway stations have been sanction for Bangalore City and Baiyyappanahalli and many other construction works were taken up during the year. The prominent among them are works on 16 Railway under bridges or over bridges to upgrade the manned level crossings to unmanned level crossings in different parts of the state.

Widening of Benniganahalli under bridge on NH4 has also been started and is expected to be completed by March, 2010.

Railways have also made significant progress in the ongoing projects such as the doubling of the line on Ramnagar- Mysore route, Kottur-Harihar and Shimoga-Talguppa gauge conversion works, Dharwar-Karmbarganvi doubling works on some patches, Kolar- Chintamani-Chikballapur gauge conversion works and the work of laying new lines on the Hubli-Hebsur route. Work on two big bridges across Cauvery was also inaugurated in 2009.

Some of the important construction projects that have been sanctioned for the state are the doubling works between Yeshwantpur-Yelahanka and Yelahanka and Chennsandra, new line surveys for Chickballapur-Puttaparty, Madanpalli-Srinivasapura, Anekal-Bidadi, Shimoga-Harihara, Gadag-Wadi, Almatti-Koppal and Almatti-Yadgir.

However, works on some of the ongoing projects and newly sanctioned projects have been delayed as the state government has failed to hand over the required land for these projects or has failed to clear the encroachments on railway land.

Source: EB (http://www.expressbuzz.com/edition/story.aspx?Title=Chugging+into+the+heartland&artid=QWQlHCPB7Jk%3d&SectionID=Qz%2fkHVp9tEs%3d&MainSectionID=Qz%2fkHVp9tEs%3d&SEO=&SectionName=UOaHCPTTmuP3XGzZRCAUTQ%3d%3d)

Krishnamoorthy K

January 2nd, 2010, 06:58 PM

Bangalore: Karnataka government was keen on being at the forefront in effectively utilising the Centre's proposal to invite private partnership in Indian Railways, state minister for infrastructure and tourism Janaradhan Reddy said today.

The Karnataka government was more than willing to cash in on this opportunity by roping in private partners, he said.

Speaking after attending a high-level meeting of railway officials, he said that the main agenda at the meeting was the state government identifying 10 new projects.

Out of the 10, five would be submitted to the railway minister Mamata Banerjee before the presentation of the railway budget, so that it could be incorporated in the budget. He, however, refused to divulge details.

Muniyappa said that at the meeting, several projects were reviewed and the ongoing performance studied.

Admitting that funds were a problem, he said if the Karnataka government came forward to share cost of the remaining 13 ongoing projects, apart from the six taken up on a cost-sharing basis, then it would be possible for the Centre to commence or take up new projects.

Plans were on to hold such high-level review meeting on a monthly basis, he said.

Source: DNA (http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_karnataka-keen-in-cashing-on-private-partnership-in-railways_1330179)

engineer.akash

January 2nd, 2010, 08:57 PM

Centre wants Karnataka to share cost of 13 pending railway projects

Special Correspondent

Cost-sharing will help us to complete the ongoing projects: Muniyappa

‘Centre not biased against Karnataka on railway development’

BANGALORE: In a move which is bound to increase the financial burden on Karnataka, Minister of State for Railways K.H. Muniyappa on Saturday asked the State Government to consider sharing the cost of 13 pending railway projects in different parts of the State.

Briefing journalists after reviewing the implementation of various railway projects in the State, Mr. Muniyappa said a majority of these projects were getting delayed owing to paucity of funds.

Of the 19 ongoing projects in the State, the cost of only six projects had been shared by the State Government, he said, and suggested that the State should bear the cost of the remaining projects also. “Cost-sharing will help us to complete the ongoing projects, besides taking up new projects,” he said.

He said the Andhra Pradesh government too was sharing the cost of several railway projects. He denied the allegation that the Centre was biased against Karnataka when it came to railway development.

Minister for Infrastructure Development G. Janardhan Reddy said the State would submit four or five new project proposals to the Railway Ministry before January 10 with a request to include them in this year’s Railway Budget. At present, the State was ready with nearly 10 fresh proposals, of which four to five would be taken up with the Centre, he said.

He said the long-pending Kottur-Harihar railway line and Shimoga-Talaguppa line (broad-gauge) would be inaugurated in the first week of March.

Mr. Reddy said Mr. Muniyappa had agreed to the State’s request to call for tenders for upgrading the Bangalore City and Byappanahalli railway stations to world standards without waiting for the State Government to handover alternative land required for the purpose. Mr. Reddy explained that it would take some time for the State to provide alternative land to the Railways. But the upgrading work would get delayed if the Centre did not call for tenders immediately, he pointed out, and suggested that tenders could be called on a condition that the State should give land for the project.
Assurance

Mr. Reddy said Mr. Muniyappa had assured him of taking steps to abide by the memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed between the Railways and the State in 1992 according to which the Railways has to share the cost of luxury rail tourism project, Golden Chariot.

http://www.hindu.com/2010/01/03/stories/2010010354930600.htm

Krishnamoorthy K

January 3rd, 2010, 04:48 AM

CHICKABALLAPUR: Union Minister for Law and Justice M. Veerappa Moily on Saturday said the Bangalore Metro Rail would be extended up to Chickaballapur town.

Mr. Moily told presspersons here that it had been proposed to extend the Metro Rail to Devanahalli and further to Chickaballapur town. Chickaballapur is the nearest town to Bengaluru International Airport, situated off Devanahalli in Bangalore Rural district.

The Union Minister said that he, along with all the MLAs from Chickaballapur district, would meet Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa on Sunday seeking immediate commencement of work on the proposed Rs. 57-crore mega dairy in Chickaballapur.

Mr. Moily said he would request Mr. Yeddyurappa to lay the foundation stone for the proposed dairy on January 15.

Source: The Hindu (http://www.hindu.com/2010/01/03/stories/2010010359720400.htm)

What will be extended to Chikkaballapura - Metro or HSRL?

Krishnamoorthy K

January 3rd, 2010, 05:07 AM

BELLARY: Babulal Jain, member of the National Rail Users’ Consultative Committee, has urged the General Manager of the South Western Railway Zone, to get several long-pending proposals of the people of Gadag, Koppal, Hospet and Bellary regions sanctioned. In a letter, Mr. Jain has drawn the attention of the General Manager to proposals such as introduction of a train between Chennai and Mumbai, via Guntakal, Bellary, Hospet and Hubli, an inter-city service between Guntakal and Hubli and a special train between Yeshwantpur and Ahmedabad.

Source: The Hindu (http://www.hindu.com/2010/01/03/stories/2010010351660300.htm)

engineer.akash

January 3rd, 2010, 11:34 AM

New railway route across Western Ghats

By Team Mangalorean Bangalore

Bangalore January 2, 2010: Karnataka Government has submitted an alternate proposal to the Railways to include a shorter 83-km Talaguppa-Honnavar new line to connect the hinterland to the West Coast. The proposed Hubli-Ankola line had been pending for over a century, despite a great demand, as it cut across the fragile Western Ghat in the State. The project remained in the backburner for ecological factors.

The State Government has now come up with a new plan, a shorter route, and workable with least ecological damage. Instead of the 167-km Hubli-Ankola, it has submitted a shorter route to connect the coast through Shimoga district and Uttara Kannada. The proposal was made to Union Minister of State of Railways K H Muniyappa, who had convened a meeting of senior officials of both Karnataka Government and the Railways, in the Vidhana Soudha here today.

According to official sources, the Government had appealed the Centre to initiate measures to increase rail connectivity in the State, which was poor, if compared to other neighbouring States.

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The Government had recommended the Railway ministry to announce nine fresh projects for the development of Industrial Zones and port connectivity. It had also suggested to contribute substantially to Talaguppa-Honnavar line, if Environment Minister did not permit Hubli-Ankola (167 km). The Central Environment Committee had been overruling the State's demand for this line, as it would cut across fragile Western ghats.

Speaking to the presspersons after reviewing the progress of the railway infrastructure project, Muniyappa said Railway Ministry would roll out PPP model on Railway projects for which draft is being formulated. He admitted that Indian Railway was facing fund constraints which resulted in slow progress of various projects undertaken by his ministry.

He said that the main agenda at the meeting was the state government identifying 10 new projects. Out of the 10, five would be submitted to the railway minister Mamata Banerjee before the presentation of the railway budget, so that it could be incorporated in the budget. He, however, refused to divulge details.

Muniyappa said that at the meeting, several projects were reviewed and the ongoing performance studied, and plans were on to hold such high-level review meeting on a monthly basis, he said.

He said Karnataka Chief Minster B S Yeddyurappa had submitted a memorandum and requested to expedite various projects in Karantaka being taken on cost sharing basis. He said Karnataka Government had shortlisted about nine railway projects to provide rail connectivity to parts and other rail linkages to the industrial zones.

http://mangalorean.com/news.php?newstype=broadcast&broadcastid=162834

Krishnamoorthy K

January 4th, 2010, 05:04 AM

Union Minister of State for Railways, K H Muniyappa, assured that trains from Yeshwantpur to both Devanahalli and Anekal will begin operations in March.

He was replying to a suggestion put forth by MP Ananth Kumar during a media briefing organised at Yeshwantpur railway station on Sunday after the ‘Duronto Express’ was launched. The MP had called for providing suburban services within the City on the lines of that in place in Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai. Without specifying a date or the number of runs Muniyappa said, “Railways is conducting studies and analysing all possibilities in this direction. Before the end of March, it will start running,” he reiterated.

The Duranto Express was required since “there is much traffic between Bangalore and Howrah,” the Minister said. He also said that separate non-stop trains would be launched shortly connecting New Delhi and Jammu Tawi, Lucknow, Howrah, Ahmedabad, Bhubaneshwar and Ernakulam.

Divisional Railway Manager, Bangalore Division, Akhil Agrawal said the service from Yeshwantpur to Anekal would start first and that to Devanahalli will be a bit later.

Earlier, Ananth Kumar called for utilising the existing rail network to provide services between Bangalore (City station) and Yeshwantpur, Bangalore and Yelahanka and Bangalore and Kengeri.

“The population will be touching one crore shortly and there is need for such infrastructure,” he added. He also called for setting up of a railway station every two km.

He also called for setting up of a bus terminus in front of the Yeshwantpur railway station for the convenience of passengers. “I will talk to the Chief Minister and ensure it is set up here,” he added.

Source: DHNS (http://www.deccanherald.com/content/44728/train-devanahalli-march.html)

Establish separate railway division at Mangalore (http://www.deccanherald.com/content/44696/establish-separate-railway-division-mangalore.html)

Duranto Express to Howrah chugs out (http://www.deccanherald.com/content/44747/duranto-express-howrah-chugs-out.html)

Krishnamoorthy K

January 4th, 2010, 09:50 AM

BANGALORE: Senior officials of Karnataka, led by chief secretary SV Ranganath, have told the central empowering committee (CEC) headed by assistant director of forests Gangopadhyaya, that the Hubli-Ankola railway line was essential for the development of North Karnataka region.

Principal secretary to the department of infrastructure V Madhu, said that the state had 300 kilometres of coastline and it was important to utilise it for developing the area. The government was planning to construct ports at Haldipur and Tadadi with 53 million tonne capacity. Rail connectivity would facilitate the transportation of passengers and goods in the region, including to and from the ports. It would also aid industrial growth in the region.

“We have told the committee that the government and the Railways would compensate the damage caused to the forests due to the project by undertaking afforestation work elsewhere. We expect the committee to give a favourable report,” Madhu said.

It may be recalled that the forest department had constituted a committee to study the damage that the realigned line would cause to the forests in the region if clearance was given for the project.

The committee had visited the region and had asked the state government to file an affidavit before the CEC mentioning the details of the projects planned in the region.

Source: EB (http://www.expressbuzz.com/edition/story.aspx?Title=%E2%80%98Hubli-Ankola+rail+line+key+for+N-K%E2%80%99taka%E2%80%99&artid=tysTgP23LHQ=&SectionID=7GUA38txp3s=&MainSectionID=fyV9T2jIa4A=&SectionName=zkvyRoWGpmWSxZV2TGM5XQ==&SEO=)

engineer.akash

January 4th, 2010, 03:13 PM

Railways to upgrade tech to prevent winter mishaps

Survey soon on starting circular Railway for Bangalore.

A view of the Duranto Express (from Yeshwanthpur to Howrah) which was flagged off by the Union Minister of State for Railways, Mr K.H. Muniyappa, at Yeshwanthpur Railway Station in Bangalore on Sunday. - V Sreenivasa Murthy

Our Bureau

Bangalore, Jan. 3

The Ministry of Railways will upgrade technology that will help smooth running of trains during winter fog and prevent any more train collisions, the Minister of State for Railways, Mr K. H. Muniyappa, said here on Sunday.

Three train mishaps in Uttar Pradesh killed ten people on Saturday, initially blamed on poor visibility due to thick fog. A full inquiry report is due.

The Ministry had also taken up a study to streamline the running of trains during winter in fog. “This study will help us create guidelines. It will come out with accurate parameters to be followed in calculating speed, distance and visibility during fog,” Mr Muniyappa said.

Train travellers would have to bear with delays during winter as safety was priority at such times, he said.

Mr Muniyappa was in the city to flag-off the weekly Duranto Express between Bangalore (Yeshwantpur) and Howrah.

CIRCULAR RAIL

He also said the Ministry would take up a survey soon on starting circular Railway for Bangalore to complement the bus service and the light metro rail.

Mr H. N. Ananth Kumar, Member of Parliament for Bangalore South, made a request for a circular rail for the growing city.

The Minister said, “We are aware that passenger circular Railway is highly essential for Bangalore. We are at it.”

By March this year, passenger trains are expected to become operational along Yeshwanthpur-Anekal and Yeshwanthpur-Devanahalli routes, he said.

Mr Ananth Kumar said a State-commissioned RITES (Rail India Technical and Economic Services) study had suggested that the South Western Railway can run a circular system with trains that halt at every 2 km.

http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2010/01/04/stories/2010010451470700.htm

Krishnamoorthy K

January 5th, 2010, 05:39 AM

http://www.hindu.com/2010/01/05/images/2010010560270601.jpg

BANGALORE: The Indian Railways is likely to accord top priority to several pending projects in the State this year, with some of them proposed to be executed under public-private-partnership for speedy completion.

Given the extensive railway network requirement for the State, estimated to be over 1,100 km, and the huge expenditure involved (around Rs. 6,000 crore), the State Government has proposed to opt for the PPP model to ensure expeditious execution of the projects.

Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee, in a meeting with Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa during her visit to Bangalore recently, is said to have promised to share 23 per cent of the cost of the proposed five PPP projects.

The State Government will look after 23 per cent of the cost and the rest shall be by the private partner.

The Karnataka Rail Development Corporation (K-Ride) might form special purpose vehicles (SPVs) to execute these projects under PPP on the lines of Hassan–Mangalore Rail Development Corporation, which is a subsidiary of K-Ride, sources in the Infrastructure Development Department told The Hindu.

Projects proposed

The projects proposed through K-Ride include the 167 km-long Hubli–Ankola line for port connectivity, 140 km-long Bijapur–Shahabad line for development of cement industrial zone, 84 km-long Shimoga–Harihar line for development of industrial zone, 84 km-long Gadag–Haveri line for port connectivity and industrial zone and 52 km-long Whitefield–Kolar–Mulbagal for development of industrial zone.

The Government has said that if the Ministry of Environment and Forests does not permit the Hubli–Ankola line, the Railways can take up the 83 km-long Talaguppa–Honnavar line instead. The Government has also urged the Railways to execute four projects on its own.

They include the 142 km-long Kudachi–Bagalkot line for development of cement industrial zone, 210 km-long Tumkur–Davangere line to reduce travel time between north and south Karnataka, 150 km-long Alamatti–Koppal line for connectivity of cement and iron industry zone to ports on the eastern coast, and 109 km-long doubling of Londa–Goa (Vasco-da-Gama) line for enhanced port connectivity.

The proposal to the Railways is a follow up of the Industrial Policy 2009, which among other things had focussed on development of steel industries in Bellary, Koppal, Bagalkot, Gadag and Raichur districts; cement industry in Gulbarga, Bagalkot, Chitradurga and Belgaum districts; food processing industry in Bangalore Rural, Kolar and Belgaum districts; automobile industry in Ramanagara, Shimoga, Dharwad and Kolar districts and power generation in Raichur, Bellary, Bijapur and Chitradurga districts.

Sources said that the Railways had earmarked Rs. 1,848 crore for new lines during 2009-10 for the entire country, which is the highest amount earmarked so far.

In this background, the Railways will not undertake all the nine projects estimated to cost nearly Rs. 6,000 crore on its own for Karnataka alone.

Source: The Hindu (http://www.hindu.com/2010/01/05/stories/2010010560270600.htm)

Krishnamoorthy K

January 7th, 2010, 06:02 PM

HASSAN: JD(S) Legislature Party leader HD Revanna on Monday urged the Union and state governments to expedite land acquisition for the Hassan-Bangalore railway line project.

The 172-km Hassan-Bangalore railway line project was sanctioned in 1996 during HD Deve Gowda's tenure as prime minister. The line will pass through Shravanabelagola, Yediyur, Kunigal and Nelamagala.

"Land acquisition has been completed in the district and the track has been laid between Hassan and Shravanabelagola.

The process is pending in Tumkur district only," Revanna said.

Revanna said that notifications were issued in Mandya district, where the railway line passes, when he was Hassan district in- charge minister.

The work so far

Work on the line between Bangalore and Solur has been completed. New line has to be laid from Solur to Yediyur via Kunigal and from Kunigal to Hassan district border.

There is already a railway line between Bangalore and Nelamangala (Bangalore- Hubli line).

Land has to be acquired between Solur and Yediyur and from Yediyur to Hassan district border for laying 45-km railway track.

Source: EB (http://www.expressbuzz.com/edition/story.aspx?Title=%E2%80%98Expedite+land+acquisition+for+Hassan+rail&artid=V4upA8DSGwc=&SectionID=7GUA38txp3s=&MainSectionID=fyV9T2jIa4A=&SectionName=zkvyRoWGpmWSxZV2TGM5XQ==&SEO=)

Hassan-Mangalore doubling works should be taken up as soon as possible. This is the only rail track connecting entire Karnataka with states only on major port. Oce this is done load on western ghat roads will reduce and decrease in heavy truck movements result in better road conditions. Also more passenger trains can be run on this major route. Hassan will act as a railway hub to connect Mangalore port to rest of Karnataka as suggested by others already.

Krishnamoorthy K

January 11th, 2010, 06:02 AM

The Gulbarga-Bidar rail link project, which has been in a state of neglect for the past 12 years, is faced with yet another stumbling block with the Railway department changing the route.

The district administration has been acquiring land along the route specified by the Railway department. However, with the department now changing the route for the rail link, the land acquisition process is expected to be delayed by another year.

The lack of coordination between the department and district administration regarding the land acquisition had in itself delayed the project earlier. But the change of route has now posed new problems.

Changes proposed

The department has withdrawn the acquisition notification of certain lands for the railway line in Ganajalakheda village of Gulbarga taluk. As a result of which, the notification issued by the district administration in 2009 to acquire 21 acre 14 guntas of land in survey numbers 27 and 28, has now been dropped.

Executive Engineer of the Railways, M Venkateshwara Rao has written a letter to the deputy commissioner citing technical reasons for the change of route. The route has undergone complete change in Kapanoora, Belur, Ganajalakheda, Avaraada, Bennura, and Kaginamaradagi villages of Gulbarga taluk and partial change in Tajasultanpura.

Approval for land acquisition has to be obtained within one year of publication of the notification. Any delay in this behalf would give scope for litigation putting the district administration in a fix. The notification has been therefore withdrawn to avoid such complication. Sources said that the district administration has decided not to act until the Railway Department submits a new proposal.

The sudden change of plans by the Railway department, which will delay the project further, has come under scathing criticism. Of the 106.06-km long rail link, 54 km is in Gulbarga, while 52 km is in Bidar. While the land acquisition process is complete in Bidar, about 156 acres have been acquired in Gulbarga.

The State government has sanctioned Rs 30 crore for the project, while the Centre has extended just Rs 5 crore. Gulbarga MP, Union Minister Mallikarajun Kharge had promised that the project would be completed after Dharam Singh’s victory from Bidar Lok Sabha constituency. However, locals allege that the minster has neither pressurised the Centre for speedy completion of the project nor for additional funds.

Source: DHNS (http://www.deccanherald.com/content/46150/rail-project-changes-track.html)

Puducherry-M’lore weekly express from tomorrow (http://www.deccanherald.com/content/46079/puducherry-mlore-weekly-express-tomorrow.html)

engineer.akash

January 13th, 2010, 08:37 PM

Expedite land acquisition for rail project, says Muniyappa

Staff Correspondent

‘The State Government should release its share of funds for the project’

Cost of the Munirabad-Mahabubnagar railway line project has been estimated at Rs. 270 crore

‘Work on it has been pending owing to delay in land acquisition and paucity of funds’

http://www.hindu.com/2010/01/14/images/2010011451650301.jpg

Taking stock: Minister of State for Railways K.H. Muniyappa inspecting the site proposed for construction of an overpass at a railway level-crossing in Raichur on Wednesday.

Raichur: Minister of State for Railways K.H. Muniyappa has said that work on the Munirabad-Mahabubnagar railway line can be completed in two years if the State Government releases its share of funds.

After inspecting the site proposed for construction of an overpass at the railway level-crossing near Vidyabharati School here on Wednesday, he told presspersons that work on the 242-km railway line between Munirabad and Mahabubnagar was pending owing to delay in land acquisition and paucity of funds.

The cost of the project has been estimated at Rs. 270 crore.

Mr. Muniyappa said he would ask the South Western Railway authorities in Hubli to review the land acquisition process for the project in Karnataka. The State Government should speed up the land-acquisition process and hand over the identified land for laying the railway line. The State Government should also release its share of the project cost (50 per cent) to the Railways to ensure that the project was completed in the next two years, he added.

Mr. Muniyappa said that railway authorities had found some technical problems in constructing the overpass near the Vidyabharati School.

The Union Minister said he would send a team of engineers here to identify an alternative site for the project. After the alternative site was identified, the State Government should submit a proposal to the Union Government in this regard. He would ensure that the new proposal would be cleared within 15 days, Mr. Muniyappa said.

The overpass at the railway level-crossing near Basaveshwara Circle needs to be upgraded in view of the laying of the Gadwal-Raichur line. Work on the Gadwal-Raichur line is nearing completion. The existing 8-m long overpass had to be extended to 11-m, he said. Work in this regard, would commence in three months after an alternative railway level-crossing was provided, he added. The former MPs A. Venkatesh Naik, Rangappa Naik and K. Veerupakshappa; MLA Syed Yasin, the former MLA N.S. Bose Raju and district Congress committee president A. Vasanthkumar were present.

http://www.hindu.com/2010/01/14/stories/2010011451650300.htm

Krishnamoorthy K

January 15th, 2010, 04:59 AM

RAICHUR: Nobody could believe Minister of State for Railways K H Muniyappa, when he stated on Wednesday that the much-awaited Munirabad-Mehboobnagar railway line work would be completed within two years.

The land acquisition process was delayed due to the meager amount allocated in successive Railway budgets.

The progress so far is that notifications have been issued for the acquisition of land for the railway line from Munirabad to Ginigera and for the acquisition of land near Mamadapur.

Thus, in all, only the process of issuing notification for acquisition of land for a meager 24 km of the railway line has been completed.

Of the total length of 242 km of the railway line, 162 km is in Karnataka and 80 km in Andhra Pradesh.

Muniyappa said that the Karnataka government had agreed to share 50 per cent of the cost of the project (Rs 500 crore). For this, the state government should announce its share in the next budget. But this is possible only if elected representatives from the region put pressure on the state government.

Many say that land acquisition in and around Gangavathi, Sindhanur and Manvi will not be easy as the lands are irrigated lands and the people are reluctant to hand over their lands. Besides this, the Raichur- Gadwal railway line (58.3 km) project has been taken up. Of the total length, 36.6 km passes through Andhra Pradesh and 22 km through Karnataka.

The total project cost is Rs 198 crore. This amount is not big for the Central government. But it has asked Karnataka government to share the costs for this project also.

This project is likely to be completed by the end of March as almost all the work is completed, except one or two bridges.

Source: EB (http://www.expressbuzz.com/edition/story.aspx?Title=2+years+too+little+for+Munirabad-+Mehboobnagar&artid=eKEaZsbhmjs=&SectionID=7GUA38txp3s=&MainSectionID=fyV9T2jIa4A=&SectionName=zkvyRoWGpmWSxZV2TGM5XQ==&SEO=)

engineer.akash

January 17th, 2010, 11:33 AM

TIRUPATI TRAIN EXTENDED TO CH'NAGAR: DHRUVANARAYAN

Chamarajanagar, Jan. 17 (DV)- The travel route of Tirupati Fast Passenger train, which used to come only upto Mysore till now has been extended upto Chamarajanagar with effect from Jan. 31, said Lok Sabha member R. Dhruvanarayan.

Speaking at a press meet here on Friday, he said Union Minister of State for Railways K.H. Muniyappa will flag-off the train at Chamarajanagar at 3 pm.

Opposition leader in the Legislative Assembly Siddhara-maiah, District in-charge Minister Halappa, all the Legislators of the district and other elected representatives will participate.

"The monthly Izzat Railway Pass (Rs. 25) to travel upto a distance of 100 kilometers will be distributed by Muniyappa on the occasion to unorganised labourers," he said.

"Tirupati train to Chamaraja-nagar was earlier scheduled to start from today. Due to the delay in fixing a suitable date by the senior Railway officials, it has been postponed to Jan. 31," Dhruvanarayan clarified.

"The contractor, who was carrying out the construction work of Railway overbridge near Mariyaladahundi had taken up a similar work in another district, which caused the delay in completion of the work. Since the work there has now been completed, no further delay will be caused," he added.

Appeal for more bogies

"Chamarajanagar train had only 10 bogies. Due to this, the passengers had to travel in a congested manner. I have requested the Railway Minister to increase the number of bogies to 14 and to run the train for another period," he explained.

"Due to paucity of parking place at Mysore, the Mangalore and Dharwad trains can be extended upto Chamarajanagar and halted there," he opined.

som

Krishnamoorthy K

January 17th, 2010, 06:08 PM

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2203/2061963032_461d0673b8.jpg

Courtesy: Sahaj Vineeth (http://www.flickr.com/photos/21236163@N06/2061963032/)

Good looking building.

engineer.akash

January 17th, 2010, 06:29 PM

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2203/2061963032_461d0673b8.jpg

Courtesy: Sahaj Vineeth (http://www.flickr.com/photos/21236163@N06/2061963032/)

Good looking building.

^^Bellary Railway station looks amazing.

Davangere Railway station

http://img138.imageshack.us/img138/5570/61497914.png

cc micro rao

engineer.akash

January 26th, 2010, 10:22 PM

SW Rly lays thrust on better infrastructure

Our Bureau

Mangalore, Jan. 26

The Hubli-headquartered South Western Railway (SWR) has given thrust to improving infrastructure and line capacity, said Mr Kuldeep Chaturvedi, General Manager.

A press release from SWR said Mr Chaturvedi came up with these comments while addressing the gathering after unfurling the National Flag during the Republic Day celebrations at Hubli on Tuesday.

He said that the 19-km double line between Hubli and Hebsur will be commissioned shortly. The double lines between Dharwad and Mugad (14 km) and Arsikere and Devanur (14 km) are targeted to be completed by March 31. The new 67-km line between Kottur and Harihar and the gauge conversion of 57-km stretch between Shimoga and Anandapuram are likely to be completed by March 31, he said. Mr Chaturvedi said that SWR zone has recorded freight loading of 29.74 million tonnes in the first nine months of the financial year, which is 3 per cent above the target.

The zone has been playing a vital role in development of the area by transporting coal, iron ore, fertiliser, cement, steel, foodgrains, and raw materials for manufacturing industry.

South Western Railway zone comprises Hubli, Mysore and Bangalore divisions.

Mr Adesh Sharma, Divisional Railway Manager, Hubli, said the division has surpassed the loading target for the nine months of the financial year. The loading target has been enhanced from 31.94 million tonnes to 33.73 million tonnes for 2009-10, he added.

Mr Chaturvedi said the SWR zone carried 134.3 million passengers in the first nine months of the fiscal.

http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2010/01/27/stories/2010012752001100.htm

Krishnamoorthy K

January 27th, 2010, 05:11 AM

Mysore: The Mysore division of South Western Railways celebrated Republic Day at the Railway Sports Ground here on Tuesday.

Divisional Railway Manager, Mysore division, B.B. Verma said the Railways was developing model stations across the Mysore division; 14 passenger reservation systems were being developed in 14 centres across the division to ensure hassle-free train reservation for the people. He laid special emphasis on the security measures initiated by the RPF in the Mysore division to ensure a safe and secure journey for all passengers. — Staff Correspondent

Source: The Hindu (http://www.hindu.com/2010/01/27/stories/2010012756570300.htm)

^^

South Western Railway zone comprises Hubli, Mysore and Bangalore divisions.

Mangalore Division is missing. Gulbarga Division to be formed.

engineer.akash

January 27th, 2010, 11:00 AM

True Mangalore must get a division and also KSRTC must bifurcate into SWKRTC with Mangalore as its headquarters.

engineer.akash

January 27th, 2010, 05:54 PM

Trains to be free of rodents and cockroaches

TNN, 27 January 2010, 09:46pm IST

HUBLI: Now passengers can expect more hygiene at the Hubli railway station. The South Western Railway has introduced a Clean Train Station Scheme
under which 22 different trains, platforms, waiting rooms, yards and circulating areas will be cleaned regularly through a mechanized cleaning system.

Efforts are also being made to keep the coaches free of rodents and cockroaches, Adesh Sharma, divisional railway manager, Hubli Division, South Western Railway, said during the Republic Day function held here on Tuesday.

Further he said the Hubli division is committed to provide clean linen and blankets to passengers in AC coaches.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hubli/Trains-to-be-free-of-rodents-and-cockroaches/articleshow/5506273.cms

engineer.akash

January 29th, 2010, 12:05 AM

Moily seeks five trains for State

Staff Correspondent

He wants diversion of Yeshwantpur-Kannur night train to Karwar

Five stations sought to be upgraded

Centre urged to include these demands in the next Railway budget

MANGALORE: Union Minister for Law and Justice M. Veerappa Moily has urged the Railway Ministry to introduce five new trains in the State in the next Railway budget.

The list of new trains was presented in an 11-point memorandum submitted by Mr. Moily during a meeting with Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday, said an official release.

The trains sought are: Bijapur-Mangalore via Gadag-Arasikere-Hassan-Sakleshpur route, Solapur-Mangalore (with AC coaches), Bangalore-Goa via Mangalore-Udupi-Karwar, Mumbai Chatrpati Shivaji Terminus-Mangalore through the Konkan Railway Sector, and a daily train between Bangalore and Nelamangala. Mr. Moily said in the memorandum that the there was a “huge public demand” for trains on Bijapur-Sakleshpur via Mangalore and Sholapur-Mangalore routes. He has contended that the introduction of these trains would “improve hinterland connectivity from the major (sea) port at Mangalore”. He has stated that a train between Bangalore and Goa via Mangalore “will provide connectivity to various places of historical and tourist importance.” And the Mumbai-Mangalore train was important to Udupi and Mangalore as there was “at least one member from each family living in Mumbai and its suburbs”. Taking note of the vociferous protests in Mangalore over the extension of the Bangalore-Mangalore night train (6517/6518) to Kannur (Kerala), he has suggested that the same train be diverted to Karwar instead.

He has demanded that the frequency of the day train to Bangalore be increased from the present three days a week to daily and extended to Karwar. Mr. Moily has demanded that the five railway stations in the State be included in the model railway station project of the Union Government.

Under this project, between 40 and 50 stations in the country will be selected for a thorough overhauling and upgrading them with all amenities.

The railway stations to be included in the project are: Yelahanka (because of its recent inclusion into the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike and its proximity to the Bangalore International Airport); Devanahalli, because of the new track extensions coming up there and because of its proximity to the BIA; Chickballapur, since it is the headquarter of the newly created district; Gowribidnur, since it is an important junction; and Doddaballapur for being an up and coming industrial hub.

The memorandum seeks the construction of new railway lines to connect Ankola with Hubli, Hospet-Hubli-Londa-Vasco-da-Gama, and Krishnarajanagar -Kushalnagar. He has urged the Centre to release adequate funds for the conversion of the Kolar-Chickballapur line from narrow gauge to broad gauge.

http://www.hindu.com/2010/01/29/stories/2010012958550300.htm

Xetairex where are you??? :)

Krishnamoorthy K

January 29th, 2010, 11:40 AM

* Efforts on to replace high-speed diesel with LPG in furnaces
* Innovative steps being introduced to achieve economy in production
* 1,45,125 wheels produced till December last

BANGALORE: The Rail Wheel Factory, Yelahanka, is making efforts to replace the high-speed diesel with liquefied petroleum gas in its pre-heat and re-heat furnaces in its attempt to be more environment-friendly and achieve economy in production.

Disclosing this during the celebrations of the Republic Day here, factory general manager R.K. Upadhyay said the Rail Wheel Factory was introducing several innovative steps towards achieving excellence in production of rail wheels.

Those measures include in-house development of wheels on trial basis for electrical multiple unit and Holfmann Bush (LHB) coaches; in-house manufacturing facilities for ingots which reduce RWF’s dependence on outsiders for billets used in the axle shop and rationalisation of melt scrap mixture to reduce the dependence on heavy scrap.

Mr. Upadhyay said that RWF had produced 1,45,125 wheels, 60,017 axles and 44,609 wheel sets up to December 2009 against the proportionate targets of 1,42,774 wheels, 55,371 axles and 44,368 wheel sets set by Railway Board.

Compared to previous year, the average daily production had gone up by 4.9 per cent in wheels and 1.7 per cent in axles, he said.

Source: The Hindu (http://www.hindu.com/2010/01/29/stories/2010012952120300.htm)

Krishnamoorthy K

January 29th, 2010, 11:43 AM

Hubli: The Hubli Division of the South Western Railways has surpassed the freight loading target of 24.5 million tonnes up to December 2009 in the current financial year and consequently the loading target for the year was enhanced to 33.73 million tonnes from 31.94 million tonnes.

Speaking at the Republic Day celebrations after unfurling the tricolour in Hubli on Tuesday, Divisional Railway Manager of Hubli Division Adesh Sharma said the division had registered over 22 per cent growth in passenger traffic compared to the corresponding period the previous year. Mr. Sharma said the gross earnings achieved up to the end of December 2009 was Rs. 2,139 crore and it is expected to reach Rs. 3,000 crore by the end of the financial year.

He said that during the first three quarters of the fiscal, the division had achieved excellence in many areas of work. The division achieved the best ever Box-N releases of 582 rakes in December against the previous best of 528. The division achieved the best ever clearance of 6.8 trains per day on Castlerock-Kulem Ghat Section in December and the best ever Routine Overhauling (ROH) of 180 wagons at Hospet during the same month. It achieved the best ever track renewal of 62 Complete Track Renewals (CTRs) Units in the same month.

Elaborating on the various steps taken by the division he said that the section speed between Hospet-Tornagallu was increased from 75 to 90 kmph.

The speed trial was conducted in Gadag-Bagalkot section and the speed raised to 80 kmph between Gadag-Hole Alur and 100 kmph between Hole Alur-Badami section in the Hubli Division.

Under the Clean Train Station Scheme introduced in Hubli, mechanised cleaning is undertaken on 22 trains every day. Besides mechanised cleaning method is adopted to keep the platforms, waiting rooms, yards and station circulating area spic and span at the A and B Class stations, he said.

He said that 20 Unreserved Ticketing Systems (UTS) were installed at different locations besides establishing six Passenger Reservation Centres at post offices and Network Touch Screens were commissioned at Hubli, Dharwad, Gadag, Londa and Ghatprabha stations.

Mr. Sharma said Londa Station had been nominated as “Adarsh Station” and the works such as platform surfacing, shelter for the platform and waiting rooms besides developing the circulating area was completed.

Source: The Hindu (http://www.hindu.com/2010/01/29/stories/2010012951830300.htm)

Krishnamoorthy K

January 30th, 2010, 05:32 AM

HUBLI: The first phase of the construction of the Zonal Railway Headquarters’ Administrative Office Building of South Western Railway (West Block) has been completed. According to a release, the West Block of the building comprising the ground and two floors situated on Gadag Road, Hubli, was formally inaugurated by General Manager of South Western Railway Kuldeep Chaturvedi on Tuesday. Chief Administrative Officer of South Western Railway S. Vijayakumaran and railway officials Adesh Sharma, D.G. Diwate, Alok Johri, S. Balakrishna, Lakshmi Narayana, S.C. Sinha, Vijay Agarwal, S.A. Abdur Rehman, S.K. Gupta and S.J. Jagannath were present. — Staff Correspondent

Source: The Hindu (http://www.hindu.com/2010/01/30/stories/2010013052150300.htm)

engineer.akash

January 30th, 2010, 07:10 PM

Rail roko to press for new rly line

TNN, 30 January 2010, 09:56pm IST

BELGAUM: Thousands of people comprising industrialists, students, farmers and traders will stop trains at Kudachi station in Raibag taluk at 11 am on Sunday, demanding a new railway line between Kudachi-Bagalkot.

Former Union minister Siddu Nyamagouda, who is leading the agitation, said the 110-km line was surveyed in 1993-94 for the the development of industry, agriculture and tourism sectors in Bagalkot district. However the proposal, then estimated at Rs 168 crore, could not take off since then.

But consistent demands for the same made the railway department conduct the commercial survey of the line in 2007. According to a report, the line was dubbed "a profitable one". But a revised estimation put the project cost - for a 146-km line - at Rs 816 crore.

"The project was to be included in the railway budget of either 2008-09 or 2009-10. But it did not happen for lack of political will," Nyamagouda said, adding the people of Raibag, Jamkhandi, Mudhol, Bilagi and Bagalkot have been demanding the line for sometime now.

The former minister hoped that Sunday's agitation would help exert more pressure on the railway department and draw their attention on the project.

TOI

avi mangalore

February 2nd, 2010, 06:03 AM

south western can double its earnings by creating a new mangalore division and incorporating it to southwestern railway, the kannur- yesantpur exp which runs via salem should be extended to mangalore

Krishnamoorthy K

February 2nd, 2010, 07:15 AM

Moily seeks five trains for State

Here is the list of other demands made by Mr. Moily:
- Gadaga-Haveri survey
- Alamatti-Kushtagi-Koppala-Kanakagiri-Kampli-Daroji survey
- Shivamogga-Harihara survey
- Bidadi-Anekal survey
- Padubiri-Karkala-Belthangadi-Ujire-Nettane survey
- Byndooru-Kollooru-Karkala-Vennooru-Dharmasthala survey
- Chickaballapura-Puttaparthi survey
- Environmental clearance for Hubballi-Ankola
- Priority in budget for laying Hosapete-Hubballi-Londa-Vascodagama rail line
- Inclusion of Krishnarajanagara-Kushalanagara rail line in budget
- Conversion of Chickaballapura-Kolara narrow gauge line to broad gauge

Source: Udayavani 1-2-2010

Moily has demanded that the five railway stations in the State be included in the model railway station project of the Union Government. They include Yalahanka railway station, Devanahalli railway station, Chikkaballapura railway station, Gowribidanur railway station and Doddaballapura station.

Source: DHNS (http://www.deccanherald.com/content/50005/moily-seeks-5-trains-state.html)

Krishnamoorthy K

February 5th, 2010, 03:37 AM

New Hubli railway station to be ready by year-end

Staff Correspondent

Number of platforms to be increased to six

Multifunctional complex to come up next to the station

HUBLI: Divisional Railway Manager of Hubli Division Adesh Sharma has said that the new building of Hubli Railway Station will be ready by December.

Speaking to presspersons on Thursday, on the sidelines of a function organised to mark the arrival of Red Ribbon Express at Hubli railway station, Mr. Sharma said that the new station building would be an architectural beauty once completed.

He said the work had been undertaken at a cost of Rs. 14 crore and Rs. 3 crore was being spent for the circulating area with adequate parking space. The new building would be built in an area of roughly around 8,500 sq. metres, he said.

Subway

He said the number of platforms in the railway station would be increased to six and there would be a subway connecting all platforms. Escalators would be provided at the station, he said.

The Divisional Railway Manager said that provision would be made for bus shelters at the entrance of the subway.

Multifunctional complex

Mr. Sharma said that a “multifunctional complex” had been sanctioned at the Hubli railway station, which would come up next to the new building.

The complex would have budget hotel arrangement, catering and other facilities and the work had been entrusted to Indian Railways Construction Company (IRCON) by the Railway Land Development Authority (RLDA).

The complex would be constructed on PPP model and the process was likely to start in three months, he said.

The Hindu (http://www.hindu.com/2010/02/05/stories/2010020552090300.htm)

Nice to have bus shelter near bus stop. There should be good parking facility for autoriskshas, other vehicles and bicycles.

engineer.akash

February 5th, 2010, 06:51 AM

Nice to have bus shelter near bus stop. There should be good parking facility for autoriskshas, other vehicles and bicycles.

True Hubli rocks :happy: though it does not receive the hyped up attention what Mysore and mangalore receives,still it is silently racing ahead.

Go hubli

Krishnamoorthy K

February 5th, 2010, 11:09 AM

engineer.akash

February 5th, 2010, 12:43 PM

^^ Good.

They have to provide shelter for auto and parking area also. During rainy season it is difficult to board autos and buses with open umbrella and luggage. So subway from railway station should end up directly under shelters on bus stand and parking area.

I am happy that 14 crores is being spent for the terminal and subway with multifunctional building being built on PPP that is something to cheer about :cheer:

Krishnamoorthy K

February 5th, 2010, 05:00 PM

The Railways have decided to contribute its mite towards reduction of carbon emissions.

Beginning on February 5, employees residing in railway quarters all over the country can exchange incandescent (IC) bulbs used in their houses for the costlier and energy-efficient Compact Fluorescent (CFL) bulbs.

The `Efficient Lighting Project’ aimed at saving energy is a joint venture by four partners: the Indian Railways, the Bureau of Energy Efficiency, a subsidiary of the Ministry of Power, electronics giant, Philips, and carbon-finance business, C-Quest.

The Bangalore Division of the Railways, which has 3,000 railway quarters spread across the areas of Cantonment, Yeshwantpur and Majestic has put up posters at all railway offices and quarters goading employees to become environment-friendly. Every house can exchange a maximum of four IC bulbs for CFL ones.

Surveys conducted at residences of employees revealed that on an average each house used four IC bulbs and hence steps were being worked out to prevent their usage. “Employees can exchange three IC 60-watt bulbs for an equal number of 14-watt CFL and one 100-watt bulb for a 20-watt bulb,” he sad.

Despite awareness related to the long-lasting life of CFL bulbs, its high cost has prevented people from opting for it. The cost of the bulbs, which range between Rs 120 and Rs 140 depending upon the watts is quite pricey as compared to a CFL bulb, which costs a minimum of Rs 10.

Energy savings

The Bangalore Division alone would help in approximately saving 3,54,000 watts (about 350 units) per hour. The response has been good. Enquiries have started flooding in from employees expressing their eagerness to exchange the bulbs.

Source: DHNS (http://www.deccanherald.com/content/50896/railway-offers-bulb-swap-save.html)

engineer.akash

February 5th, 2010, 09:48 PM

NEW RAIL LINKS ON THE ANVIL IZZAT PASSES DISTRIBUTED

Chamarajanagar, Feb. 5 (DM&SS)- Monthly 'Izzat train passes' were distributed to labourers of the unorganised sector by the Union Minister of State for Railways, K.H. Muni-yappa, at a function to flag off the Chamarajanagar-Mysore-Tirupathi train at Chamaraja-nagar railway station yesterday.

The Izzat train passes are meant for people below the poverty line, who can travel within 100 kms. The price of an Izzat train pass in Rs. 25.

The Minister said the Izzat pass would be beneficial to daily wage workers who travel to the cities for their livelihood.

Earlier, Muniyappa had said the Chamarajanagar -Mettu-palyam- Hubli- Ankola as well as the Shimoga-Talguppa- Honna-var rail link projects had been stalled temporarily by the Environment Ministry and these issues would soon be sorted out. He added that he had already had an official meeting with Union Minister of State for Environment, Jairam Ramesh.

No environment clearance yet

Muniyappa said that the Environment Ministry had prevented a survey of the three rail link projects but work would resume after environmental clearance.

TN Govt. not interested

He claimed that the Tamil Nadu Government was not showing interest in Chamaraja-nagar-Mettupalyam project. Muniyappa said that the Supreme Court had set up a high power committee which had laid down stringent norms for the laying of tracks running through the forests. But renewed efforts would be made to resume the survey of the Chamarajanagar-Mettupalyam rail track, he said.

A survey is being carried out for laying Bangalore-Kana-kapuraKollegal-Chamara-janagar-Gundlupet Railway track. Besides, the number of bogies on trains plying between Mysore and Chamarajanagar will be increased to 12. Also the Railway officials will be instructed to look at the possibility of extending goods train service to Chamarajanagar, depending upon the quantity of goods to be transported, he said.

Arasikere-Mysore train likely

There is a demand for introducing a new train on Arasikere-Mysore route and steps are being taken in this regard. Besides hurdles existed in Mysore-Kushalnagar railway track laying and this had come to his notice, he said adding that steps will be taken for the sanction of this project.

SOM

Krishnamoorthy K

February 6th, 2010, 09:43 AM

Local Train For Hubli Dharwad :
As Hubli & Dharwad twin city is developing with lot of efforts on the following front:
1. High Court Bench at Dharwad
2. S W R Headquarter
3. Karnataka University at Dharwad
4. K I M S Hubli
5. Agricultural University at Dharwad
7. BVB Engineering College, Hubli
8. SDM Medical / Dental / Engineering college at Dharwad
9. N W R T C Head office at Hubli
10. Other small scale industries
11. TELCON ( Tata Company )at Dharwad
12. Many Educational Institutionsin in arround Hubli & Dharwad
13. APMC yard at Hubli
14. Goods loading & unloading at Navalur/ Dharwad

People have to move from one end of the city to other side due to expansion of Twin City Their is need for Efficient Low Cost Public Transport System to be provided. With train track running between twin city, their is need to introduce local train immediatelly which will be of great help to twin city people & peoples visiting the city for business also. We
have already 5 stations within the city limits : Hubli Central, Unakal, Amargol, Navalur, Dharwad.

We have KIMS ( Medical facility ), BVB Engineering College, APMC yeard near to railway track, Goods loading at Navalur, SDM Dental / Medical / Engineering colleges, Karnataka University Kelageri, Haliaya Road all are on the railway track.

State Govt and SWR to-gether should look for this Local Train aspect. We need to have 7 more new stations at KIMS, BVB Engineering College, SDM Medical College, SDM Engineering College, Karnataka University, Haliyal Road, Kelageri.

Its make great sense to set up these new stations on these Places / at Educational Institutes ( they are of great improtance to Twin City ). Also their is double track is beeing laid from Hospet to Londa. Already work is getting completed from Dharwad to Kumbarwada for double track. Also Law University is coming up at Hubli. We have Agricultural Univerity at Dharwad also, they can use station at Kelageri on By-Pass road.

This Local Train Faciltiy will give good Public Transport system for the Twin City.
Hope all our Karnataka MP's take up this issue with Railway Minister to get the project sanctioned. Similalry we need Local Train for Mysore along with Bangalore city.
Hope SWR will take up this issue on priority.

Yes. Densely populated regions like Hubli-Dharwad-Belgaum, Mangalore-Udupi, Mysore, Gulbarga need a kind of local/suburban trains.

engineer.akash

February 6th, 2010, 09:51 AM

Yes. Densely populated regions like Hubli-Dharwad-Belgaum, Mangalore-Udupi, Mysore, Gulbarga need a kind of local/suburban trains.

Mysore can also be considered actually the chamrajnagara bound train cuts along the University,Court,KG koppal,NIE colllege,Airport etc,so it is quite feasible.

But Mysore is so well planned with broad parallel roads that nobody would like to have a local train. :happy:

Yes I agree Hubli-Dharwad certainly needs it,I recently traveled in the dharwad express from Mysore and I was stunned to see the two twin cities merged all along the railway line,I wondered How come the state govt can neglect a city of such importance which houses by far the most number of Govt offices outside Bengaluru.

xetairex

February 9th, 2010, 01:06 AM

Mysore can also be considered actually the chamrajnagara bound train cuts along the University,Court,KG koppal,NIE colllege,Airport etc,so it is quite feasible.

But Mysore is so well planned with broad parallel roads that nobody would like to have a local train. :happy:

Yes I agree Hubli-Dharwad certainly needs it,I recently traveled in the dharwad express from Mysore and I was stunned to see the two twin cities merged all along the railway line,I wondered How come the state govt can neglect a city of such importance which houses by far the most number of Govt offices outside Bengaluru.

I have an idea: people in the region are not focused on exactly what it is that they want. Everyone has an individual agenda. There is no concern for the overall development of the region as a whole. Result: development comes in bits and pieces that overall represent the jumbled and often conflicting demands.

Plus, the laissez faire attitude of the general populace with regard to railway development.

It's a wonder we got the SWR HQ in Hubli. What's happened after that? Nothing - the Iron Ore-carrying lorry lobby is actively sabotaging the BG double line from Hospet to Goa. Despite load percentages of 120-130% on the Hubli-B'lore line, complete doubling is still a far away dream.

engineer.akash

February 9th, 2010, 07:25 PM

Tatkal, general quota open for all

TNN, 9 February 2010, 10:16pm IST

MANGALORE: Good news for Mangaloreans. Though the 6517/6518 Yeshwantpur-Mangalore train has been extended to Kannur, there has been no separate quota announced for Kannur.

This means that the 255 sleeper general quota and 151 tatkal quota is open to all and anybody will be allotted on first come first serve basis.

According to G Hanumanth Kamath, president, West Coast Railway Development Committee, he reasoned that as the distance between Kannur and Mangalore was minimal and computer reservation system was available, the quota has not been re-fixed despite the train being extended to Kannur. He said the chief reservation supervisors office had clarified that like a single quota system for Mysore and Bangalore, it had been fixed for Mangalore-Kannur too.

Regarding addition of more coaches, Kamath said the South Western railway officials said that it would be added in April this year, which will take the coaches to 17.

He also said as the tatkal quota rules were revised, under the new system, passengers from B C Road, Puttur, Subrahmanya can book tickets for Mysore, Hassan, Mandya etc. In the earlier tatkal system, tickets could be only booked from originating station to the terminating station.

TOI (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mangalore/Tatkal-general-quota-open-for-all/articleshow/5553537.cms)

engineer.akash

February 10th, 2010, 11:58 AM

Hubli-Ankola rail line sought

TNN, 9 February 2010, 10:29pm IST

KARWAR: Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president R V Deshpande has written to the ministries of Defence and the railways, demanding civilian airport at Seabird project site of Indian Navy here, and for the setting up of Ankola-Hubli railway line.

In his letter to railway minister Mamata Banerjee, Deshpande urged her to lay a railway line between Ankola and Hubli, for which a foundation stone was laid in 1999 by the then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. "This line would prove beneficial by being a direct access to Seabird project, nuclear facility at Kaiga, Belekeri port besides helping boost tourism in the region," he said.

More than two crore tonnes of iron ore is being exported from Belekeri and Karwar ports and iron ore-laden lorries are damaging national highways 63 and 17. "The railway line, if commissioned, would reduce the number of accidents," he added.

TOI (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hubli/Hubli-Ankola-rail-line-sought/articleshow/5553517.cms)

engineer.akash

February 10th, 2010, 01:14 PM

Mamata told to connect major tourist places

TNN, 9 February 2010, 10:27pm IST

HUBLI: Bijapur Broad-Gauge Committee has urged railway minister Mamata Banerjee to connect major tourist destinations of the state by extending the Mysore-Dharwad-Mysore Express trains up to Solapur.

The train, if extended, will help connectivity to tourist places on the stretch like Gol Gumbaz (Bijapur), Kudalasangama, Badami, Pattadakal, Aihole (Bagalkot), Belur, Sharvanabelogola (Hassan) and Mysore, it said in a letter to the minister.

Further, north Karnataka could be connected to Mangalore if a slip coach is added to the train at Hassan. There is a need to improve connectivity between Mangalore and Hubli as road transport services between the two destinations are poor.

In order to provide direct connectivity from Bijapur and Bagalkot to Hubli, it has asked for the extension of Solapur-Gadag train up to Hubli. "This will help people visiting regional government offices in Hubli besides providing them a connecting train to Bangalore," it claimed.

The committee wants the Gol-Gumbaz Express, which runs between Yeshwantpur and Bijapur, to be regularized by increasing its frequency to daily. The Yeshwantpur-Nizamuddin Karnataka Sampark Kranti Express may be diverted via Hubli, Gadag, Bagalkot, Bijapur and Solapur, providing a direct connectivity to Delhi. By doing so, the travel time can be reduced by 3.30 hours.

The services of Mumbai CST-Solapur Siddeshwar Express can be extended to Hubli as the train remains idle at Solapur station from 7 am to 11 pm. Likewise, the committee has asked to increase the frequency of Mumbai-Bijapur fast passenger to daily and extend it up to Gadag. Also, the number of sleeper coaches should be extended to five from the present two.

Further, it has asked to revise the timings of Bijapur-Hubli train so that it reaches Hubli at 5.30 am (instead of 6.10 am) to help passengers catch Inter-City Express to Bangalore. A night train between Gulbarga and Hubli and extension of Bagalkot-Solapur passenger to Hubli are their other demands.

TOI (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hubli/Mamata-told-to-connect-major-tourist-places/articleshow/5553521.cms)

engineer.akash

February 10th, 2010, 01:21 PM

I have an idea: people in the region are not focused on exactly what it is that they want. Everyone has an individual agenda. There is no concern for the overall development of the region as a whole. Result: development comes in bits and pieces that overall represent the jumbled and often conflicting demands.

Plus, the laissez faire attitude of the general populace with regard to railway development.

It's a wonder we got the SWR HQ in Hubli. What's happened after that? Nothing - the Iron Ore-carrying lorry lobby is actively sabotaging the BG double line from Hospet to Goa. Despite load percentages of 120-130% on the Hubli-B'lore line, complete doubling is still a far away dream.

Yako nimm reply shhud belgaum basha nyaag baari bek ansakathae thi.........bardhabidthaeni.........:lol:

en madak barthaethi haelri neeva nam jana oota madi malkolad ondh bitra enu madak hogudhul.

Badhnikaay yengai amyal roti sikhbitra yell Marath bidthari.:ohno: adha naam byalae aagaethi.

Yaaro heach vichaar madak hogodhilaa,amyala akadae naam raajki mandee bengaloor nyaag hog settle aag bidthar.

^^ (Eng: Nothing great,just throwing some light on the politicians and peoples attitude towards lack of railway infra)

engineer.akash

February 10th, 2010, 01:24 PM

Weekly express to run from Yeshwantpur to Lucknow

TNN, 9 February 2010, 10:28pm IST

HUBLI: The railways have introduced a weekly express train between Yeshwantpur-Lucknow. Accordingly, Yeshwantpur-Lucknow Weekly Express (trainNo. 6503) will depart Yeshwantpur at 20:10 hrs on Wednesdays from February 10 and arrive at Lucknow at 10:45 hrs on Fridays.

En route, the train will touch Bangarpet at 12:33 hrs, Jolarpettai Jn at 13:38 hrs, Katpadi at 14:43 hrs, Renigunta at 17:30 hrs, Vijayawada at 00:15 hrs, Balharsha at 08:10 hrs, Nagpur at 11:45 hrs, Itarsi at 16:55 hrs, Jabalpur at 21:45 hrs, Manikpur at 02:10 hrs, Allahabad at 04:25 hrs, Pratapgarh at 06:27 hrs, Amethi at 07:04 hrs, and Rae Bareli at 08:20 hrs.

In the return direction, Lucknow-Yeshwantpur Weekly Express (train No. 6504) will depart from Lucknow at 20:00 hrs on Fridays from February 12 and arrive at Yeshwantpur at 20:10 hrs on Sundays.

En route, the train will touch Rae Bareli at 21:45 hrs, Amethi at 22:30 hrs, Pratapgarh at 23:12 hrs, Allahabad at 01:15 hrs, Manikpur at 03:23 hrs, Jabalpur at 08:40 hrs, Itarsi at 12:55 hrs, Nagpur at 19:35 hrs, Balharsha 23:15 hrs, Vijayawada at 07:10 hrs, Renigunta at 13:20 hrs, Katpadi at 15:20 hrs, Jolarpettai at 16:43 hrs, and Bangarpet at 17:45 hrs.

In all, the weekly express comprises 17 coaches, with one AC two-tier coach, one AC three-tier coache, seven second-class sleepers, six general second-class coaches, two second-class luggage-cum-brake vans.

TOI (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hubli/Weekly-express-to-run-from-Yeshwantpur-to-Lucknow/articleshow/5553518.cms)

Yadhak ara idthaar e train???

Krishnamoorthy K

February 10th, 2010, 03:57 PM

^^ There are many Bihari techies and students in Bangalore. Bangalore is the real consmopolitan city of south.

prasadvd

February 10th, 2010, 04:59 PM

Will belgaum get anything this time in budget?????????

engineer.akash

February 10th, 2010, 05:09 PM

Will belgaum get anything this time in budget?????????

Welcome to SSCI :cheers:

plz check ur inbox

xetairex

February 11th, 2010, 01:38 AM

Yako nimm reply shhud belgaum basha nyaag baari bek ansakathae thi.........bardhabidthaeni.........:lol:

en madak barthaethi haelri neeva nam jana oota madi malkolad ondh bitra enu madak hogudhul.

Badhnikaay yengai amyal roti sikhbitra yell Marath bidthari.:ohno: adha naam byalae aagaethi.

Yaaro heach vichaar madak hogodhilaa,amyala akadae naam raajki mandee bengaloor nyaag hog settle aag bidthar.

^^ (Eng: Nothing great,just throwing some light on the politicians and peoples attitude towards lack of railway infra)

Heh heh bhaala dina aatu dhrawad/belgaum kannada keli.

the comment about the food part was too good!

ajay ramchandran

February 13th, 2010, 12:34 PM

Udupi: Mumbai-Karwar Train Extended Up To Mangalore

World Class TITAN Showroom..

Now in MANGALORE & BANGALORE

Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi (SP)

Udupi, Feb 13: President of Railway Passengers Association, R L Diaz, has informed that the Mumbai CST – Karwar train has been extended up to Mangalore, and the temporary time table of this train has already been published in this connection.

Train No. 2133, leaving Mumbai CST at 10.50 pm, is scheduled to reach Panvel at 11.20 pm. It reaches Karwar at 8.15 am the next day. As per the present schedule, it will reach Mangalore Central railway station at 12.10 pm. The train No.2134 will leave from Mangalore Central station at 1.50 pm, reach Karwar at 5.40 pm, and reaches Mumbai CST at 4.05 am.

This train will get the sanction in the current year’s railway budget, and once it is sanctioned, it would be extended to Mangalore in about three weeks. The period of its halt in Thane and Udupi will be published after the railway budget is presented, Diaz has explained.

Krishnamoorthy K

February 13th, 2010, 03:30 PM

The Federation of Karna-taka Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FKCCI) has sought an early completion of various railway projects pending for many years in Karnataka. The chamber has also urged the Union railway minister Mamata Banerjee to adopt a public-private partnership (PPP) initiative to complete the projects in the interest of industrial development of the state.

In a pre-budget memorandum submitted, the FKCCI has urged the railway minister to accord top priority to speed up pending projects and frame a clear PPP policy. Revenue sharing could be adopted based on the extent of use of facility put up by PPP developers and based on its tariff, J Crasta, president, FKCCI said.

Pointing out that distribution of rail length per 1,000 sq km in Karnataka is only 16 compared to 27.2 in Gujarat, 27 in Kerala, 31.8 in Tamil Nadu and 17.8 in Andhra Pradesh, the chamber has urged the Centre to complete some of the pending projects at the earliest.

The FKCCI has sought immediate completion of track doubling of Ramanagaram-Mysore. The state government has volunteered to share the cost of the project, earlier considered to be non-cost sharing, Crasta said.

The chamber has also urged giving priority to complete ongoing projects like the Hassan-Bangalore line, which will reduce the travel time between two stations, Kadur-Chikmagalur-Sakleshpur, Arsikere-Birur track doubling work, Kolar-Chikkaballapur gauge conversion projects.

It has also sought an early forest clearance for 167-km Hubli-Ankola project and take up new lines between Talaguppa-Honnavar, Kudichi-Bagalkot, Bijapur-Shahabad, Dharwad-Belgaum and Gulbarga-Bidar.

Mega logistics hubs should be set up at Bangalore, Hubli, Bellary in the first phase and build dedicated freight corridors on Bangalore-Chennai, Bangalore-Hubli-Belgaum-Mumbai, Bangalore-Hassan-Mangalore and Hubli-Hassan-Mangalore lines.

FKCCI has also demanded the upgradation of existing stations at Belgaum, Gulbarga, Bellary, Mangalore and Raichur into ‘Adarsha stations’ and conversion of ‘Multi facility centre’ to ‘world class stations’ at Hubli and Mysore.

“Railway network is the major engine of growth of our economy and hence, we lay great emphasis on the ministry for the inclusion of these project proposals and to provide adequate funds for the ongoing projects in Karnataka for early completion, in the railway budget 2010-11,” Crasta said.

Source: BS (http://www.business-standard.com/india/storypage.php?autono=385582)

Mangalore: Demand for railway under bridge (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mangalore/Demand-for-railway-under-bridge/articleshow/5565984.cms)

The Nirmala Nagara Nagarika Hitharakshana Vedike has urged the authorities to construct a railway under bridge (RUB) at Mahakalipadpu near Jeppu.

As many as 42 trains pass through this route daily and each time the railway gate has to be closed for minimum 15 minutes, resulting in traffic jams.

engineer.akash

February 13th, 2010, 03:45 PM

Krishnamoorthy, what is multi facility center??

Krishnamoorthy K

February 13th, 2010, 05:42 PM

^^
World class stations are the multi-functional complexes with

shopping centres, food stalls, restaurants, book shops, telephone and fax booths, medicine and variety stores and budget hotels as well as underground parking.

“Adarsh stations”, which would have better basic facilities such as drinking water, adequate toilets, catering services and waiting rooms.

“These stations will also have dormitories especially for lady passengers and other basic facilities,” Banerjee said.

Reference: Thaindian (http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/business/railways-to-revamp-stations-50-to-get-world-class-facilities_100212957.html)

IMO it is essential to have a bus stop at walkable distance of a railway station for onward journey.

Read also Praja thread:
http://praja.in/en/blog/sanjeev/2010/02/03/demands-karnataka-railway-budget-2010-11

engineer.akash

February 13th, 2010, 05:44 PM

^^
World class stations are the multi-functional complexes with

Reference: Thaindian (http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/business/railways-to-revamp-stations-50-to-get-world-class-facilities_100212957.html)

IMO it is essential to have a bus stop at walkable distance of a railway station for onward journey.

Hubli has enough space for that I don't get the Mysore funda??? :?
There isn't enough space in Mysore for the multi facility centre???

engineer.akash

February 13th, 2010, 09:07 PM

Panel to study issue of allowing new rail lines in Western Ghats

Committee of experts to be headed by Delhi Metro Chief Sreedharan

BANGALORE: A committee of experts headed by Delhi Metro Chief E. Sreedharan will study afresh the issue of allowing new railway lines inside the forests of the Western and Eastern Ghats in the State.

“Union Minister of State for Environment and Forests Jairam Ramesh has promised me to commission a fresh study. Mr. Ramesh has agreed to send Mr. Sreedharan, who built the Konkan Railway track in the Western Ghats terrain, along with another expert to study the issue,” Minister of State for Railways K.H. Muniyappa said on Saturday.

Interacting with journalists from The Hindu group of publications here, Mr. Muniyappa said the Hubli-Ankola, Talaguppa-Honnavar and Chamarajanagar-Mettupalyam railway line projects had been in limbo as the Environment Ministry had not given the go ahead. “I have impressed upon Mr. Ramesh the need for these railway lines to boost economic activities in the respective regions,” he added.

The 167-km Hubli-Ankola railway line helps in faster transportation of goods and passengers between the west coast and the hinterlands. The State Government has recommended that the project be taken up on public-private partnership.

Civil work, including construction of bridges, has been completed between Hubli and Kalaghatagi. The work has been stopped on the direction of the Central Empowered Committee of the Ministry of Environment and Forests.

The Talaguppa-Honnavar railway line connects the coastal region with the mainland. Both Honnavar and Ankola are in the Konkan Railway network.

The 165-km Mettupalyam line connects the Mysore region with Tamil Nadu.

Connectivity

On the lack of connectivity for onward journey towards Karwar for those travelling by Yeshwanthpur-Mangalore night train, Mr. Muniyappa said he had directed the officials concerned to work out a modality.

He had also directed Bangalore Divisional Railway Manager Akhil Agarwal to write to the SWR General Manager to put up a proposal to the Railway Board for the same.

The day train between Yeshwanthpur and Mangalore could not be extended further because day trains had certain limitations as far as the distance to be covered. The services of Mumbai-Karwar Tri-Weekly Express were being extended to Mangalore to address this issue, he said.

The Hindu (http://www.hindu.com/2010/02/14/stories/2010021453590500.htm)

Krishnamoorthy K

February 14th, 2010, 05:16 AM

BANGALORE: Union Minister of State for Railways K.H. Muniyappa said on Saturday that completion of work on the Bangalore-Hassan railway line and doubling of Bangalore-Mysore line depended on the availability of land.

If the State Government handed over the required land, the Railways would complete these projects at the earliest, he added.

Tourism Minister G. Janardhana Reddy had promised him to make available the land immediately, Mr. Muniyappa said.

According to Chief Administrative Officer (Construction) of SWR S. Vijayakumaran, even after land was made available for these projects, it will take at least two-and-a-half years for their completion.

Source: The Hindu (http://www.hindu.com/2010/02/14/stories/2010021453840500.htm)

Railway works are delayed due to delay in land acquisition is a common complain by railway. Land acquisition delayed as railway has not released enough money demanded by farmers & other land owners is also a common reply.

engineer.akash

February 15th, 2010, 09:49 AM

Railways seeks land for world-class stations

Anil Kumar Sastry

Byappanahalli station will be taken up firstland

‘We are watching infrastructure development;

Bangalore: Minister of State for Railways K.H. Muniyappa on Saturday said the work on the proposed world-class station at Byappanahalli in Bangalore could be expedited if the State Government hands over the required land for the project, including that belonging to the NGEF.

Interacting with The Hindu at its office here, Mr. Muniyappa said the project required considerable land the extent of which has been communicated to the State Government. In reply to a query, he said that such projects in New Delhi and Mumbai were yet to take off.

The Chief Administrative Officer (Construction) of the South Western Railway, S. Vijayakumaran, said the Railways has prepared the concept report for the project and it has been approved by the Railway Board. The State Government has been urged to constitute a high-power committee headed by the Chief Secretary and comprising officials from utility agencies and the Railways for regular monitoring of the work.

Byappanahalli is proposed to be the third passenger terminal for Bangalore as the city as well as Yeshwantpur terminals have reached the saturation point, said Akhil Agarwal, Divisional Railway Manager, Bangalore. Though Bangalore City Railway Station is also proposed to be upgraded to world-class status, Byappanahalli will be taken up first, he added. Byappanahalli is a Greenfield station and developing it will be easy, he noted.

For developing the Bangalore City Railway Station, the Railways requires adjacent land that belongs to Binny Mills.
Circular railway

To a query on the Railways providing circular railway service for Bangalore city utilising the existing track network and building some more, Mr. Muniyappa said the Ministry has been watching the infrastructure development in the city.

“We have been watching and studying the public transport scenario in Bangalore. I’ll not make any commitment at present but definitely we are at it,” he said.

Asked whether the Railway Board has decided not to take up any new suburban railway project, Mr. Muniyappa said he was not aware of any such decision.

The Hindu (http://www.hindu.com/2010/02/15/stories/2010021559330400.htm)

Krishnamoorthy K

February 15th, 2010, 06:00 PM

* Delhi Metro chief Sreedharan to head the committee.

A committee of experts headed by the Delhi Metro Chief, Mr E. Sreedharan, will study afresh the issue of allowing new railway lines through the forests of the Western Ghats and hills in the southern region of Karnataka.

“Union Minister of State for Environment and Forests Jairam Ramesh has promised me he will commission a fresh study,” the Minister of State for Railways, Mr K.H. Muniyappa, said on Saturday. “Mr Ramesh has agreed to send Mr Sreedharan, who built the Konkan Railway track in the Western Ghats terrain, along with another expert to study the issue.”

Interacting with journalists from The Hindu group of publications here, Mr Muniyappa said the Hubli-Ankola, Talaguppa-Honnavar and Chamarajanagar-Mettupalayam railway line projects had been in limbo as the Environment Ministry had not given the go-ahead. “I have impressed upon Mr Ramesh the need for these railway lines to boost economic activities in the respective regions,” he added.

The work has been stopped on the direction of the Central Empowered Committee, constituted by the Supreme Court.

The 167-km Hubli-Ankola railway line will help in faster transportation of goods and passengers between the West Coast and the hinterland. The State Government has recommended that the project be taken up on public-private partnership.

Civil work, including construction of bridges, has been completed between Hubli and Kalaghatagi.

The Talaguppa-Honnavar railway line connects the coastal region with the mainland. Both Honnavar and Ankola are in the Konkan Railway network.

The 165-km Mettupalyam line connects the Mysore region with Tamil Nadu.

On the lack of connectivity for onward journey towards Karwar for those travelling by the Yeshwanthpur-Mangalore night train, Mr Muniyappa said he had directed the officials concerned to work out a modality. He had also directed Bangalore Divisional Railway Manager, Mr Akhil Agarwal, to write to the SWR General Manager to put up a proposal to the Railway Board for a solution.

The day-train between Yeshwanthpur and Mangalore could not be extended further because day trains had certain limitations on the distance they can cover. The services of Mumbai-Karwar Tri-Weekly Express were being extended to Mangalore to address this issue, he said.

Mr Muniyappa also said that he could ask the Andhra Pradesh division to examine the feasibility of extending at least one train from Bangalore to Secunderabad, instead of their terminating at Kacheguda. On account of inadequate road connectivity between Kacheguda and Secunderabad, a lot of time is lost, it was observed.

A similar proposal with respect to trains terminating before Thiruvananthapuram would also be considered, he said.

The Minister of State for Railways also said that tests for recruitment to Group-D posts in the Railways would be conducted in the local language along with English and Hindi. The tests would be simultaneously conducted in 16 railway zones across the country.

The Railways will develop Baiyappanahalli as a world-class station, provided the State Government is able to acquire 30 acres of NGEF land for the purpose. Delhi and Mumbai have turned down proposals to turn stations into multi-purpose complexes, citing issues of land availability.

Bangalore, Mysore and Hubli have been conceived as world-class stations.

Source: The Hindu Business Line (http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2010/02/15/stories/2010021551131300.htm)

CM off to Delhi to realize sate's railway dreams (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bangalore/CM-off-to-Delhi-to-realize-sates-railway-dreams/articleshow/5574009.cms)
Feasibility of east-west railway freight corridor under study (http://beta.thehindu.com/news/national/article106338.ece)

Krishnamoorthy K

February 16th, 2010, 11:45 AM

MANGALORE, February 15, 2010: Union Minister of State for Railways Mr. A. Ahmed has assured the people of Mangalore that there will be no cut in the reservation quota in both seats and berth for the Yeshwanthpur-Bangalore train that bears the number 6517 and 6518. Mr. Ahmad who arrived in Mangalore to launch the southern railway food plaza in Mangalore Central Railway station spoke to the press persons on the sidelines of the function.

He said there has been an apprehension in the people of Mangalore that their quota on the train will be cut after the train began running between Kannur and Yeshwanthpur but in the last one month all the reservation quota has remained the same. This shows that the passengers between Mangalore and Bangalore had nothing to worry. He said “people traveling from Yeshwanthpur to Mangalore are as important to me as somebody traveling from Kannur to Bangalore. I will not indulge myself in any nepotism and I will be the last man to snatch the quota of travelers between Bangalore and Mangalore.”

The Railways is giving importance to all regions without discrimination, he said. He said Mangalore, which had a long railway history, had been selected as the ''World Class Heritage Railway Station''. A team had already visited the station in this regard. All facilities would be made available to this station to meet the requirement of world class category, he said.

Outlining the various works taken up by the railway especially in the doubling of railway track between Mangalore and Shornur junction Mr. Ahmed said the work will be completed in next six months which will enable the trains going towards Kerala and Chennai to lessen travel time. He said on this route the railways have already completed the work on 300 out of 310-kms of the track. He said the doubling of the track between Mangalore and Shornur was most important for railways which would result in economic development as well as railway development of the region. Except for the work in three stretches totallying about 10 km, rest of the work had already been completed, he said.

However the Nethravati bridge construction has to be speeded up to enable the doubling of the track bear fruits.

The minister who also inspected the progress of the work while expressing his satisfaction over the fast progress made and said the bridge work across Netravathy River near here to a total stretch of five km was held up mainly due to climatic changes and frequent change of contractors. The work had now been entrusted to another contractor. Work of two spans and four steel girders was remaining while, around 4.5 km stretch of work near Karekkad also remained balance mainly due to some technical reasons.

Another three fourth km at Calicut could not be completed following delays in clearance from Railway Safety Board, he said adding that the central cabinet had also given its approval for electrification between Mangalore and Shornur which would also be taken up soon.

Source: Mangalorean (http://mangalorean.com/news.php?newstype=broadcast&broadcastid=169231)

engineer.akash

February 16th, 2010, 06:32 PM

More funds for Kadur-Chikmagalur rly line: Minister

TNN, 16 February 2010, 10:25pm IST

CHIKMAGALUR: The Kadur-Chikmagalur railway line formation which began a decade ago will receive more funds in this year's railway budget. This assurance has come from Union railway minister for state Muniyappa. He has also assured that within two years they will ensure that the work is completed.

Disclosing it at a press conference, district Congress president M L Murthy said a delegation of district Congress had met the minister. He requested the state government and the district administration to hand over the acquired lands in Sakharayapattana, Kanivehalli and at Hiremagalur Chikmagalur city to the railway department.

He said so far the bunding work to lay railings and construction of small bridges in other acquired land has been completed but in three spots acquired land has not been given to railways.

He said this railway line which connects Kadur-Chikmagalur needs Rs 70 cr and the minister said instead of releasing a paltry sum he will see that more money will be released for this project. He said the railway board is feels it is better to connect Kadur-Chikmagalur and Belur rather than connecting Kadur-Chikmagalur-Sakleshapura.

The district Congress president said his party is opposed to acquisition of agricultural land in Kadur taluk. The golden corridor project should not deprive the subsistence rights of small and marginal farmers.

TOI (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mysore/More-funds-for-Kadur-Chikmagalur-rly-line-Minister/articleshow/5580418.cms)

ajay ramchandran

February 16th, 2010, 06:50 PM

][/QUOTE]

As of now is it only Mangalore and Bangalore that are going to have world class stations?

Will they have to demolish the entire Mangalore Central for this?

engineer.akash

February 16th, 2010, 07:01 PM

]

As of now is it only Mangalore and Bangalore that are going to have world class stations?

Will they have to demolish the entire Mangalore Central for this?[/QUOTE]

Ajay even Hubli is included :banana:

sudheeshnairs

February 16th, 2010, 07:15 PM

=ajay ramchandran;51995261]
As of now is it only Mangalore and Bangalore that are going to have world class stations?

In Bangalore, two stations are there, Bangalore City and Bayappanahalli. Bayappanahalli has more chance to be developed first since it is almost like a greenfield one.

Bayappanahalli would be becoming a major rail head, with the METRO Terminal also starting from there, parallel to the main railway lines.

ajay ramchandran

February 16th, 2010, 10:45 PM

As of now is it only Mangalore and Bangalore that are going to have world class stations?

Will they have to demolish the entire Mangalore Central for this?

Ajay even Hubli is included :banana:[/QUOTE]
Thanks

ajay ramchandran

February 16th, 2010, 10:46 PM

In Bangalore, two stations are there, Bangalore City and Bayappanahalli. Bayappanahalli has more chance to be developed first since it is almost like a greenfield one.

Bayappanahalli would be becoming a major rail head, with the METRO Terminal also starting from there, parallel to the main railway lines.
Thanks

engineer.akash

February 18th, 2010, 11:09 AM

Karnataka to fund Rs 2,500 crore for railway projects

Bangalore,Feb18 (PTI):Karnataka Government would be funding to the extent of Rs 2,529.80 crore for railway projects in the State in the next five years,Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa said.

He conveyed this in a letter to Union Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee. Yeddyurappa requested sanction for six projects -- Talaguppa-Honnavar (83 kms); Shimoga-Harihar (84 kms); Kuduchi-Bagalkot (142 kms); Whitefield-Kolar (52 kms); Gadag-Haveri (84 kms); Tumkur-Davangere (210 kms) - in the coming Railway budget.

Earlier,Yeddyurappa had agreed to undertake sharing of costs in four projects being undertaken by railways on non-cost sharing basis; to undertake four new lines for which Karnataka government would give land free of cost and participate in 50:50 sharing of balance cost; five projects under public private partnership (PPP) mode and; to continue
cost sharing in six projects.

DHNS (http://www.deccanherald.com/content/53417/karnataka-fund-rs-2500-crore.html)

Krishnamoorthy K

February 18th, 2010, 02:13 PM

Mukambika Railway Station upgradation works (http://www.udayavani.com/showstory.asp?news=0&contentid=743929&lang=2)

State government has handed over Rs. 2.10 crores to Konkan railway for upgradation works.

New railway station building, platform, platform shelter, foot over bridge, approach road, etc works will be taken up. Loopline and signaling works will be started soon.

Surathkal Railway Station to get facilities: P B Tayyal (http://www.udayavani.com/showstory.asp?news=0&contentid=743920&lang=2)

Expansion works of Surathkal railway station is in progress. Diesel storage unit and railway tourist hotel construction works are going to start soon.

Thokur railway station will also be modernized. Also adding more tracks near Nandikur is under consideration.

Krishnamoorthy K

February 19th, 2010, 11:16 AM

A delegation of Congress leaders from North Karnataka has urged the Railway Ministry to include four new line projects of the backward region in the forthcoming railway budget.

The delegation led by former Union minister Siddu Nyamagouda on Wednesday met railway minister Mamata Banerjee and requested her to include new railway line projects such as Kudachi to Bagalkot (142km), Gadag to Haveri (84km), Davangere to Tumkur (216km), Belgaum to Dharwad (96km) in the budget.

The survey for the Kudachi to Bagalkot line costing over Rs 816 crore was completed long ago. Even the economic survey also proved that this line would be profitable line with the returns more than 17 per cent, Nyamagouda told reporters here after meeting the minister, who he said assured the delegation that the demands would be considered.

With several new industries like sugar, cement and power generation coming up in this region, better railway connectivity would help to accelerate economic activity as well as job creation, he said.

The north Karnataka leaders also demanded increase in railway lines in the region from the existing 5km for every 1,000 sq km to the national average 22.91 sq km.

The team said in terms of railway line per 1000 sq km, Karnataka is far behind with just 15.5 km compared to the national average, while it was worse still in north Karnataka region.

The leaders pointed out that Tamil Nadu has an average 32 km railway line, Gujarat 27km and West Bengal 44km.

Even for meeting national average in Karnataka, the Railway Ministry has to construct minimum another 4000 km new lines.

Source: DHNS (http://www.deccanherald.com/content/53559/demand-increase-railway-lines-nk.html)

Source: Tumkur varsity pioneer in fund-raising (http://www.deccanherald.com/content/53548/tumkur-varsity-pioneer-fund-raising.html)

Krishnamoorthy K

February 20th, 2010, 02:03 PM

The following two lines proposed by Union Minister Veerappa Moily is added.
- Padubiri-Karkala-Belthangadi-Ujire-Nettane survey
- Byndooru-Kollooru-Karkala-Vennooru-Dharmasthala survey

http://i48.tinypic.com/2w2hruc.jpg

I could not locate Nettane in google or wikimapia, so missing in the picture.
If somebody knows it please add it and suggest additions.
<<note: to be added to railway thread later>>

Akash, Mysuru should have a ring rail through Nanjanagudu, Chamarajanagara, Kollegala??

^^^^ KURM will be funded by the state government.

Picture is slightly modified to accomodate madikeri connectivity.

You are right Krishnamoorthy Mysore -Nanjangud-Chamrajnagar got a BG line may be a year ago,they must think of doubling the track atleast between mysore and nanjangud as Nanjangud hosts a number of Branded companies

To list a few:

AT&S (USA)
Bacardi Martini
Reid &Taylor
Nestle
TVS
UB group(U/C)
JK Tyre(Expansion)
No of Agro industries

Small scale and other allied industries.

It would help the workers actually.

Recently volvo services have been started between Mysore and Nanjangud route no 419,it is mostly for the tourists.

Kollegal area is forested so a bit difficult to run trains there,however they can go upto Malvalli.

If this is really taken up nothing like that.

My wish list
Track doubling( Immediate):

1. Mangalore- Bangalore
2. Managalore - Mumbai - konkan railways

New Track:( any thing mangalore to Ghat crossing is difficult, enviromentlist will kill me, but it is really good, cost saving and environmental friendly just think long term saving)

1. Mangalore - B.C ROAD-Dharmastal- chickmagalore
2. Subramany-dharmastal-karkal- moodabidri-mukambika station ( tourist and piligrim special track) ( mukambika- udupi mangalore- subramanya with this there can be round train for tourist )
3. Udupi- thirthahalli-shimoga- ( further link is there chikkamagalure -arsikeri- bangalore- Mysore ( karavalli- malaindu- bayalusemi express hahaha)
4. Ankola- Hubli ( this will give line to mangalore- Hubli- belagum or bejapur -solapur also to bellari Iron ore)

New Trains:

1. To and fro Mangalore- bangalore -Mysore night train via arsikeri or sravan belagola( should start at 10 p.m and reach morning 8.00 a.m
2. To and fro Mangalore - Mumbai fast train should start in evening and reach morning

^^^^

Thanks for feed back.

Even in Hubballi-Dharawada, Belguam, Gulbarga we should have ring rails. Ballari may join soon. Bijapura-Bagalakote also will follow. There could be a nice triangle formed by Shimoga-Davanagere-Chitradurga. Hasana is a hub to provide port connectivity.

engineer.akash

February 20th, 2010, 11:27 PM

IISc to study eco-viability of rail projects

Express News Service (http://expressbuzz.com/edition/story.aspx?Title=IISc+to+study+eco-viability+of+rail+projects&artid=NUFOG|pPchw=&SectionID=7GUA38txp3s=&MainSectionID=fyV9T2jIa4A=&SectionName=zkvyRoWGpmWSxZV2TGM5XQ==&SEO=)

First Published : 20 Feb 2010 07:02:15 AM IST
Last Updated : 20 Feb 2010 08:49:39 AM IST

BANGALORE: The state government has got the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore to look into the environmental factors of the long pending rail lines between Hubli-Ankola and Talaguppa - Honnavar.

The revised proposals on these two projects as per the IISc study will be submitted to the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests, Principal Secretary Infrastructure V Madhu said on Friday.

The envionmental issues with both the projects relate to their cut through across Western Ghats.

Speaking on the sidelines of an industry meeting with Union Minister for Surface Transport Kamal Nath orgainsed by the Bangalore Chamber of Industry and Commerce, Madhu also noted that the State government is ready with a policy on Public Private Partnership in railway projects.

Chief Secretary S V Ranganath recently met with the chairman and senior officials of the Railway Board in this regard, Madhu said.

In the pre-budget meetings with the State officials, the Railway officials have recently made it known that it is would be easier for them to expand on the railway projects in the state, if the government can commit to cost sharing.

engineer.akash

February 23rd, 2010, 12:41 PM

Nod for railway line to power plant

Staff Reporter

BANGALORE: The Karnataka High Court on Monday cleared the hurdles in the way of laying a railway line from the Konkan Railway main line to the power plant at Nandikur in Udupi district by dismissing the appeals made against the acquisition of land.

The State Government had sought to acquire land for laying a railway line from the Konkan Railway main line to the power plant of Udupi Power Corporation Ltd., coming up at Nandikur. The corporation was earlier known as Nagarjuna power corporation.

Need

The proposed 3-km railway line is for the supply of coal to the plant.

Diwakar Bhat and three others had questioned a single judge order refusing to stay the acquisition of land at Nandikur, Yellur and adjacent villages, all at Kaup.

They said the notification for acquiring their land was illegal and arbitrary and against the procedures prescribed in the Land Acquisition Act.

Contention

The Government and the plant contended that the railway line was needed to ensure steady supply of coal to the power plant and all procedures for acquisition of land had been completed.

A Division Bench comprising Justice K. Sreedhar Rao and Justice A.N. Venugopala Gowda dismissed the appeals, paving the way for the railway line.

The Hindu (http://www.hindu.com/2010/02/23/stories/2010022361410300.htm)

Krishnamoorthy K

February 24th, 2010, 05:26 AM

* Most of rail network in State is single line

MYSORE: The State Government pushing for new train facilities on the eve of the Railway Budget betrays a lack of comprehension of the crucial issue pertaining to rail infrastructure and ignores the imperatives of augmenting the track capacity in the State.

Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa dashed off a letter to Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday and presented a “wish list” of new trains and additional services between Bangalore and other cities with rest of India in a bid to seek improved connectivity and better services. The list included new trains between Mysore and Bangalore, Mysore-Mumbai, Bangalore-Hubli, a Duranto service between Bangalore and Mumbai, etc.

Though the intention of the Government is laudable, it betrays a lack of comprehension of the critical issue related to track doubling to augment line capacity. Sources in the railways told The Hindu that Karnataka has a total track length of about 2,613 km (broad gauge) and it was almost entirely single line track. But for a small stretch on the Bangalore-Chennai line and Hospet-Bellary line, the rail network in the State was serviced by a single line track which put a limitation on the number of trains and services that could be operated.

“Hence the need of the hour is to seek new projects for track doubling rather than repeating requests for additional trains which cannot be met as the main trunk routes are saturated,” said the officials. The ongoing track doubling work between Bangalore and Mysore is the only major section in the State where track doubling work is in progress.

However, the stretch has a capacity utilisation of more than 120 per cent and additional trains cannot be squeezed in without impacting the travelling time between Mysore and Bangalore. Hence placing fresh demands for new trains may not only fail to materialise considering the risk of operating too many trains in the section but would increase the commuting time and may not be beneficial to passengers. Similarly, the Bangalore-Hubli section and Bangalore-Shimoga sections are reckoned to be high-density routes but lack of double line made it difficult for the railways to introduce faster services for the benefit of passengers. In contrast, major trunk routes in other States are not only double line tacks but are also electrified and ensures faster connectivity.

Officials say there is scarcity of nearly 150 rakes to meet the existing demand of customers which led to loss of revenue. But ironically, even if the railways provided the rakes on demand, they are not in a position to move the rake due to line capacity constraints. “As a result, the railways will be losing around Rs. 25 lakh to Rs. 30 lakh per rake,” the sources added.

However, the Chief Minister’s letter does not address any of the concerns pertaining to capacity expansion of the track. The letter was despatched on February 20 by when the final draft of the budget would have been printed and ready for tabling in Parliament. Officials say any demand for inclusion in the budget should be made at least two or three months in advance and not a couple of days before the budget.

Source: The Hindu (http://www.hindu.com/2010/02/24/stories/2010022455520700.htm)

Krishnamoorthy K

February 24th, 2010, 05:50 AM

BANGALORE: With two days to go for the railway budget, the Bangalore Chamber of Industry and Commerce (BCIC) has urged the government to introduce fast train services to industrial areas like Mysore, Nanjangud and Tumkur from Bangalore.

“The Railways should introduce a super fast express train, preferably a Shatabdi type train between Bangalore and Nanjanagud. The train should start at 7 am in the morning and reach Nanjangud at 9 am and similarly, leave Nanjangud at 6 pm and reach Bangalore at 8 pm. A similar train should be introduced between Bangalore City and Tumkur with stops at the major industrial areas near Tumkur and Bangalore,” the industry body demanded.It also demanded a Shatabdi between Bangalore and Mangalore. BCIC urged the government to speed up the electrification and track doubling of Bangalore- Mysore corridor as it would ease the movement of traffic.

Source: EB (http://www.expressbuzz.com/edition/story.aspx?Title=Industry+body+wants+fast+trains+to+Mangalore&artid=7NXhImS6UIc=&SectionID=Qz/kHVp9tEs=&MainSectionID=Qz/kHVp9tEs=&SEO=&SectionName=UOaHCPTTmuP3XGzZRCAUTQ==)

shekar

February 24th, 2010, 12:14 PM

Railway Budget Highlights.

http://businesstoday.intoday.in/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=14107&sectionid=4&issueid=77&Itemid=

Krishnamoorthy K

February 24th, 2010, 05:18 PM

Bangalore, Feb 24 (IANS) True to her word, Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee Wednesday put Karnataka on the fast track by announcing three new trains, extending the run of three more and increasing the frequency of three trains from Bangalore to Howrah, Patna and Korba.
With Union Minister of State for Railways K.H. Munniyappa hailing from the state, Karnataka had more than its share of new proposals in the railway budget, presented in the Lok Sabha Wednesday, for ensuing fiscal (2010-11), as Banerjee said that survey would be conducted for seven new rail projects across the state.

As India’s tech hub, Bangalore also gets a weekly non-stop Duronto to New Delhi this summer.

In addition, a weekly express from Bangalore to Nagarcoil in Tamil Nadu, a weekly service from Mangalore to Tiruchirapalli in Tamil Nadu and a tri-weekly express from Bangalore to the pilgrim town of Tirupati in Andhra Pradesh will be operated during the ensuing fiscal.

The weekly Duronto to Howrah will run four days a week once additional coaches are supplied to the zonal railway.

Similarly, Bangalore-Patna Sanghamitra Express will run daily instead of six days a week currently. Yeshvantpur-Korba Express will operate twice a week instead of once.

The weekly train from Yeshvantpur to Kuchuveli in Kerala will be extended to Hubli in north Karnataka, about 400 km from Bangalore.

A daily passenger service from Mangalore to Kannur in Kerala will be extended to Kozhikode, while another passenger service from Dharwad to Gadag in north Karnataka will run up to Solapur in Maharashtra.

In view of the high traffic density within the state, Banerjee said the popular Link Express from Bangalore to Nanded in Maharashtra and Hubli will be bifurcated to run as separate trains to Hubli and Nanded respectively.

The minister, however, overlooked Bangalore in setting up a sports academy that are planned to come up in five other cities - Chennai, Kolkata, Mumbai, New Delhi and Secunderabad.

Banerjee also announced that a design, development and testing centre for wheels will be set up at the Rail Wheel Factory near Yelahanka in north Bangalore.

Track doubling will be taken up only on the Hospet-Hubli-Londa-Vasco De Gama route in northwest region of the state.

Gauge conversion in the state is limited to Anandpuram to Talaguppa, Shimoga to Talaguppa in central Karnataka (Malnad) and Chintamani to Chikballapur in southern Kolar district.

Electrification of the rail section will be taken up from Guntakal in Andhra Pradesh to Bellary-Hospet-Vasco De Gama.

Survey for new lines will be taken up across the state from Bijapur to Shedbal via Athani; Chikaballapur to Gowribidnur; Podubidri to Nettane via Karkala, Belthangdy and Dharmasthala; Byndoor to Nettane via Kolluru, Halady, Hebri, Moodbidiri and Venoor; Belur-Sringeri; Mysore to Madikere via Kushalnagar; Belgaum to Raichur vial Bagalkot and Belgaum to Samatwadi.

World class (Adarsh) stations are proposed to be set up at Bagalkot, Chikballapur, Devanahalli, Doddaballapur, Gauribidnur, Gokak Road, Ramnagara and Yelahanka in Bangalore.

Source: Thaindian (http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/business/karnataka-to-chug-faster-on-mamatas-largesse-lead_100325755.html)

Ktk CM Yeddyurappa welcomes Railway Budget (http://www.ptinews.com/news/534967_Ktk-CM-Yeddyurappa-welcomes-Railway-Budget)

engineer.akash

February 24th, 2010, 07:14 PM

Connectivity between N Karnataka, B'lore will improve

TNN, Feb 24, 2010, 09.58pm IST

HUBLI: Former minister H K Patil has opined that the budget by proposing to lay tracks between Gadag-Harihar and Tumkur-Davanagere will help improve connectivity between North Karnataka region and Bangalore.

The distance between North Karnataka region and Bangalore will be reduced by 120 km with the implementation of the new projects, he said in a release adding that the doubling works between Birur-Chikjajur will further help trains reach their destinations fast.

Further he said the proposal towards laying tracks between Bijapur-Athani, Yadgir-Alamatti, Belgaum-Sawanthwadi shows the UPA governments concern towards the development of backward regions.

Bijapur unhappy

Meanwhile Bijapur Broadgauge Committee has felt that the budget has neglected the north Karnataka region. In a press release, it said Bangalore has been given importance and not the whole of Karnataka.

The demand for a new train to New Delhi via Bijapur, Hubli, Hyderabad and extension of Solapur-Gadag train upto Hubli and Mysore-Dharwad train to Bijapur have been overlooked which is highly deplorable, it added.

TOI (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hubli/Connectivity-between-N-Karnataka-Blore-will-improve/articleshow/5612944.cms)

Krishnamoorthy K

February 24th, 2010, 07:28 PM

MYSORE: The hilly terrain of Kodagu could finally get the rail network and rail connectivity could be a reality between border district Chamarajnagar and neighbouring Tamil Nadu, if the railways has its way.

But there is a hitch. The permission of the ministry of environment and forests (MoEF) is mandatory for the projects. But will the nod come was the big question before the railways on a day when railway minister Mamata Banerjee okayed a link between Mysore-Madikeri-Mangalore.

The railway minister on Wednesday announced a new line survey between Krishnagiri in Tamil Nadu and Chamarajnagar along with reviving old projects like Mysore-Mangalore and Mysore-Thalassery in Kerala both of which, she admitted, are pending for a long time.

Even as she announced the proposals to be updated for surveys and processed through the Planning Commission, there are questions whether the MoEF will be interested. Because Kadur-Chikmagalur-Shakaleshpur line is ready but is yet to be commissioned owing to the line running into the forested area.

Some 20 hectres is required by the railways but the clearance is yet to come, sources told The Times of India. Some Rs 247 crore has been spent by the railways to build the line, but the trains are not operating because of lack of environmental clearance, they stated. The proposed new lines too could face environmental problems. The minister has proposed the Chamarajnagar-Krishnagiri line, which is in the heavily forested area once lorded over by brigand Veerappan. The other line that will be surveyed will be Mysore-Kushalnagar-Madikeri, which is the result of Kodagu tagged to the Mysore parliamentary constituency after delimitation. The connectivity between Madikeri and Mysore will get Kodagu hooked to the rest of India through rail.

The announcement of the survey for new lines has industry elated. A direct train connectivity to Madikeri and Mangalore will be good since the freight traffic will be high on this section, leader of Mysore Industries Association, Suresh Kumar Jai opined. Mysore will have direct access to port city Mangalore, which is good for our export business, he stated.

Banerjee, who awarded a multi-functional complex to Mysore during 2009-10 in July, also gave it some trains, courtesy Bharat Tirth trains, which will operate on pilgrimage routes. The newly-announced trains will touch Mysore in Pune-Tirupati-and-Madurai-Hyderabad loops. The other route is Howrah-Chennai-Puducherry-Madurai- Rameshwaram-Kanyakumari-Bangalore-Mysore-Chennai-Howrah.

The good news is the inter-city Mysore-Shimoga daily train and serious consideration of Talaguppa and Honnavar rail line. Presently, the gauge conversion in the Shimoga-Talaguppa section is on and is completed till Anandapuram.

However, hopes of residents of border areas in Chamarajnagar-Mettupalyam rail line were shortlived. Minister of state for railways K H Muniyappa had recently stated that it is likely to be okayed.

Source: TOI (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mysore/Mysore-Mangalore-train-cheers-city/articleshow/5612903.cms)

xetairex

February 24th, 2010, 08:55 PM

Source: The Hindu (http://www.hindu.com/2010/02/24/stories/2010022455520700.htm)

"* Most of rail network in State is single line

MYSORE: The State Government pushing for new train facilities on the eve of the Railway Budget betrays a lack of comprehension of the crucial issue pertaining to rail infrastructure and ignores the imperatives of augmenting the track capacity in the State.

Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa dashed off a letter to Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday and presented a “wish list” of new trains and additional services between Bangalore and other cities with rest of India in a bid to seek improved connectivity and better services. The list included new trains between Mysore and Bangalore, Mysore-Mumbai, Bangalore-Hubli, a Duranto service between Bangalore and Mumbai, etc.

Though the intention of the Government is laudable, it betrays a lack of comprehension of the critical issue related to track doubling to augment line capacity. Sources in the railways told The Hindu that Karnataka has a total track length of about 2,613 km (broad gauge) and it was almost entirely single line track. But for a small stretch on the Bangalore-Chennai line and Hospet-Bellary line, the rail network in the State was serviced by a single line track which put a limitation on the number of trains and services that could be operated.

“Hence the need of the hour is to seek new projects for track doubling rather than repeating requests for additional trains which cannot be met as the main trunk routes are saturated,” said the officials. The ongoing track doubling work between Bangalore and Mysore is the only major section in the State where track doubling work is in progress.

However, the stretch has a capacity utilisation of more than 120 per cent and additional trains cannot be squeezed in without impacting the travelling time between Mysore and Bangalore. Hence placing fresh demands for new trains may not only fail to materialise considering the risk of operating too many trains in the section but would increase the commuting time and may not be beneficial to passengers. Similarly, the Bangalore-Hubli section and Bangalore-Shimoga sections are reckoned to be high-density routes but lack of double line made it difficult for the railways to introduce faster services for the benefit of passengers. In contrast, major trunk routes in other States are not only double line tacks but are also electrified and ensures faster connectivity.

Officials say there is scarcity of nearly 150 rakes to meet the existing demand of customers which led to loss of revenue. But ironically, even if the railways provided the rakes on demand, they are not in a position to move the rake due to line capacity constraints. “As a result, the railways will be losing around Rs. 25 lakh to Rs. 30 lakh per rake,” the sources added.

However, the Chief Minister’s letter does not address any of the concerns pertaining to capacity expansion of the track. The letter was despatched on February 20 by when the final draft of the budget would have been printed and ready for tabling in Parliament. Officials say any demand for inclusion in the budget should be made at least two or three months in advance and not a couple of days before the budget."

Exactly what I have been saying since I created this thread. Excellent article. We need more focus on this issue and more awareness by the public.

On a side note, doubling between Hospet and Goa with electrification has been approved in the latest budget. That's a good deal.

avi mangalore

February 25th, 2010, 06:31 AM

crap budget- no use for coastal karnataka

Krishnamoorthy K

February 25th, 2010, 08:48 AM

Here is more details:

http://i50.tinypic.com/fbhmbp.jpg

* Railway Budget 2010-11 also promises eleven new line surveys

BANGALORE: The Railway Budget 2010-11, presented by Union Minister for Railways Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday was full of promises on creating infrastructure for Karnataka even as the Minister gave seven new trains to the State.

On the infrastructure front, Ms. Banerjee announced 11 new line surveys and revival of five line surveys that were gathering dust. She also announced doubling of small stretches of three lines. The highlight of the budget was the ministry’s approval of the State’s proposal to undertake seven new line projects under public-private partnership and the State Government’s proposal to share costs of four on-going projects.

Ms. Banerjee granted the much-sought intercity express service, between Shimoga and Mysore, while she announced the services of Duranto Express, touted to be the common man’s Rajdhani between Yeshwanthpur and Delhi, as a weekly service. The other new trains announced include Bangalore–Nagarcoil weekly express via Madurai and Hosur; Mangalore–Tiruchirapalli weekly express; Bangalore–Tirupati intercity express (tri-weekly) via Bangarpet; Bangalore–Nelamangala passenger and Hospet–Harihar passenger (after gauge conversion).

The services of the Yeshwanthpur–Howrah Duranto express have been increased from the weekly service to four days a week, while theBangalore–Patna Sanghamitra express has been made a daily service from six days a week. Mangalore–Kochuveli Ernad express has also been made a daily service from three days a week. Ms. Banerjee also announced extension of Kochuveli–Yeshwanthpur weekly express to Hubli; Mangalore–Kannur passenger to Kozhikode and Dharwad–Gadag passenger to Solapur.

Infrastructure creation

Notwithstanding the slow pace of line doubling work between Bangalore and Mysore where the State Government is sharing two-thirds of the cost, the Minister said Karnataka was eager to share costs of two on-going new line construction, one-line doubling and one-gauge conversion. They are for Hassan–Bangalore; Kadur–Chikmagalur; Arsikere–Birur and Kolar–Chickaballapur, respectively.

Ms. Banerjee was positive on the State’s proposal to undertake seven new lines under PPP and said the ministry would consider the proposals on a priority. They include Talaguppa–Honnavar; Shimoga–Harihar; Whitefield–Kolar; Gadag–Haveri; Tumkur–Davangere; Bijapur–Shahabad and Dharwad–Belgaum.

Mixed bag

FKCCI Co-Chairman of Tourism Committee Prakash Mandoth, an expert on the Railways, said the budget was a mixed bag of goodies and disappointments. Though Ms. Banerjee has ordered surveys for several new lines, no action was promised on many completed surveys, including the Hubli–Ankola new line.

Long-pending demands for trains to Jammu, Varanasi, Shirdi and Amritsar had not been met even as demands for intercity services between Shimoga–Hospet, Mysore–Bijapur and Hubli–Solapur were not considered. Though the Minister of State for Railways K.H. Muniyappa was active in coaxing Karnataka to share project costs, he could not succeed in getting more projects in actual terms, Mr. Mandoth said.

Minister’s views

Minister of State for Railways K.H. Muniyappa, who in a recent interaction with journalists from The Hindu had said he would try to emulate C.K. Jaffer Sharief in improving rail infrastructure in Karnataka, said the new line surveys announced in the budget would be completed latest by a year. “In the next budget, you will see them [as new line projects],” he told The Hindu on Wednesday.

On PPP model, Mr. Muniyappa said a policy decision has to be taken on the mode of execution. “We have to decide whether it should be executed through Karnataka Rail Infrastructure Development Corporation or Rail Vikas Nigam Ltd.,” he said. All these projects come from the completed surveys and have been found economically viable.

Source: The Hindu (http://www.hindu.com/2010/02/25/stories/2010022554940600.htm)

Krishnamoorthy K

February 25th, 2010, 08:51 AM

* Most requests made by State, FKCCI granted: Crasta
* ‘Prepare ‘easy, investment-friendly’ policy guidelines’

Bangalore: Industry associations have welcomed the Railway Budget for 2010-11. President of the Federation of Karnataka Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FKCCI) J. Crasta said the budget has accommodated “most of the requests made by the State Government and FKCCI”.

However, while appreciating the move to constitute a special task force for clearing the proposals for investments within 100 days, the FKCCI urged Union Minister for Railways Mamata Banerjee to prepare policy guidelines that are “easy, simple and investment friendly”.

Mr. Crasta welcomed the move to commission 117 new train services out of the 120 that were announced in the last budget. He also welcomed the move to allow private operators to run special freight trains. The decision to establish a ‘South-South Corridor’ was also hailed. “We are happy to note that the Minister appreciated Karnataka Government’s role in coming forward to implement railway projects under cost-sharing proposal/PPP. There are 11 such proposals,” he said.

Demands

However, FKCCI has suggested that the Railway Ministry “take up, on an urgent basis, the completion of the Hubli-Ankola line”. It has also sought “container connectivity” to Mangalore Port.

The President of the Karnataka Small Scale Industries Association, M.C. Dinesh, termed the budget “lacklustre”. He said the proposed expansion of the rail network by 1,000 km during 2010-11 was not commensurate to the needs of a growing economy. The move to upgrade healthcare facilities would be “worthy of emulation by organisations that value corporate social responsibility, he said.

The Bangalore Chamber of Industry and Commerce (BCIC) welcomed the budget for its “innovative proposals”. K.R. Girish, BCIC President, welcomed the move to establish a National Highspeed Railway Authority, the introduction of special wagons for carrying fly-ash, iron ore and automobiles, and to set up ancillary and automobile hubs at ten locations. He said the BCIC was “disappointed” that freight rates had not been reduced.

Source: The Hindu (http://www.hindu.com/2010/02/25/stories/2010022554890600.htm)

Krishnamoorthy K

February 25th, 2010, 08:55 AM

KOLAR: The announcements in the Railway budget on the Kolar-Whitefield new line and Kolar-Chickaballapur double line on Wednesday has been hailed in Kolar.

“Both the new projects will help the common people as well as farmers of the region,” said B. Suresh of the Kolar District Chamber of Commerce. The Kolar-Whitefield line would help farmers to carry their produce directly to Bangalore, Mr. Suresh said. It would avoid the circuitous route under the present line via Bagarpet and will save time, he added. Once it comes into operation, the new line is also likely to be a boon to labourers who commute to Bangalore daily.

Mr. Suresh also welcomed the budget announcement about the survey of the Chickaballapur-Gowribidanur line.

The chamber thanked Kolar MP and Union Minister of Railways K.H. Muniyappa for realising the long-pending demands of the people of the region. Communist Party of India (Marxist) State committee member Gandhinagar Narayanswami, welcomed the new proposals for Kolar region, but urged the Government to consider the demand of extending of the Kolar-Chickaballapur line up to Madanapalli and conversion of the same lane into broad guage.

Source: The Hindu (http://www.hindu.com/2010/02/25/stories/2010022554930600.htm)

Projects for Kolar (http://www.deccanherald.com/content/54744/projects-kolar.html)

The proposals have evoked mixed response. While some are happy over benefits to the district, a few want the projects to be implemented as early as possible.

“It has been 30 years since the demand for a proper railway network for the city was made. The district was denied all these years. We were arrested for carrying out a protest demanding a railway line between Bangarpet-Yelahanka. However, the demand for line between Kolar-Madanpalli has not been considered. We will wait and watch whether the promises made in the budget will be a reality,” said M G Prabhakar, who has been fighting for the railway line fo the city.

“As Kolar and Chikkaballapur were divided as separate districts, a proper railway line was a necessary as these two are growing as major commercial centres. When a single lane has not yet been completed, I wonder when the two-lane network will be completed,” said writer Lakshmipati Kolar.

Lead Bank Manager K E Thimmappa was of the opinion that this will help to develop basic infrastructure in the town.

“Although it is heartening to note that new railway line will benefit the people, it has to be seen how long it will take to be ready,” wondered Janawadi women’s organisation’s V Geetha.

Krishnamoorthy K

February 25th, 2010, 08:57 AM

GULBARGA: The Hyderabad Karnataka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (HKCCI) on Wednesday expressed its disappointment over the Railway Budget presented by Minister Mamata Banerjee.

Reacting sharply to the proposals, president of the HKCCI Umakant Nigudgi said the Minister had disappointed the people of the Hyderabad Karnataka region by not approving their demands such as for a railway divisional headquarters in Gulbarga.

He termed the budget West Bengal-directed and as not representing the entire country’s interests.

All new projects had gone to West Bengal and those for Karnataka had gone to the Old Mysore region.

He, however, welcomed the Ministry’s proposal to carry out survey work on the Belgaum-Bagalkot-Raichur route.

Source: The Hindu (http://www.hindu.com/2010/02/25/stories/2010022553310300.htm)

Krishnamoorthy K

February 25th, 2010, 09:00 AM

* ‘MPs must pressure Prime Minister to sanction funds in supplementary budget’

HASSAN: The former Rajya Sabha member H.K. Javare Gowda on Wednesday expressed disappointment over the Railway Budget and said Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee had focussed upon gaining political mileage before the elections in West Bengal.

‘Eyewash’

Terming the feasibility surveys for railway lines eyewash, Mr. Gowda alleged that they took a long time and would need the approval of the Planning Commission before being included in the next budget. He also expressed disappointment over the delay in sanctioning funds for the Hassan-Bangalore railway line.

“As it has not been considered a targeted railway project, it has been languishing since 1997,” he said.

Mr. Gowda appealed to all MPs of the State to meet the Prime Minister and pressure him to sanction Rs. 1,000 crore in the supplementary budget in order to complete all the ongoing railway projects in the State.

Revenue

Mr. Gowda said that the Railway demands of the State must not neglected, especially the Railways earned a handsome revenue of Rs. 3,000 crore a year from the State from the transport of iron-ore.

Proximity to port

Industrialist and exporter G.M. Vinod said that due to the lack of rail connectivity to Mangalore, the closest port, all goods had to be sent to Chennai.

Source: The Hindu (http://www.hindu.com/2010/02/25/stories/2010022553180300.htm)

Krishnamoorthy K

February 25th, 2010, 09:03 AM

* MP Pralhad Joshi terms it confusing, H.K. Patil welcomes it
* ‘Long-pending demands have been ignored’
* ‘Most demands from State have been fulfilled’

HUBLI: The Railway Budget presented by Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee has evoked mixed reaction. While BJP MP from Dharwad Pralhad Joshi termed it as “confusing”, another BJP MP from Haveri Shivakumar Udasi and former Minister H.K. Patil have welcomed it.

Mr. Pralhad Joshi, who issued a press release from New Delhi, has termed the budget as “unrealistic and confusing”.

He said that although South Western Railway was one among the five best performing zones in the country, it had been neglected with regard to allocations and new projects.

Only Rs. 600 crore had been allocated to South Western Railway, which had earned a revenue of Rs. 5,400 crore during the last financial year. “Union Minister of State for Railways K.H. Muniyappa should explain this,” he said.

The long-pending demands of Hubli-Mumbai, Hubli-Pune, Hubli-Varanasi and Amrutsar had again been ignored. Although some new routes had been announced, their cost had to be either shared by the State Government or they should be taken up under the public-private partnership model. The demand for Gulbarga division had also not been considered, he said.

Although the Railway Minister had stated that there would be no privatisation of the Railways, she had opted for the public-private partnership model for new railway projects, Mr. Joshi said.

Most demands fulfilled

Mr. Patil has said that the Railway Minister had fulfilled most of the demands of the people of Karnataka.

In a release here, Mr. Patil has said that Mr. Muniyappa had prevailed upon the Union Minister in getting a good number of demands from the State fulfilled.

He said that the Gadag-Harihar and the Tumkur-Davangere new railway lines would reduce the travel distance from North Karnataka to Bangalore by a minimum of 120 km, which was a welcome move.

Survey for Bijapur-Athani, Yadagir-Alamatti, Belgaum-Savantwadi new lines, track doubling on Hospet-Hubli-Londa-Goa route would mark a golden beginning in the railway map of the State. Doubling of Birur-Chikkajajur route would reduce the travel time to Bangalore, he said.

He said that the setting up of New Design and Development Centre for Wheel would create jobs for the people. The Railway Minister had proposed 10 new rail routes, survey of six new rail routes and announced three new trains which were commendable, he said.

Mr. Patil said he would thank both Ms. Banerjee and Mr. Muniyappa for meeting most of the demands of the people of Karnataka.

Good budget

Mr. Shivakumar Udasi, who represents the BJP, has termed the budget as “good budget for Karnataka”.

In a release, he said that concerted efforts by MPs from the State cutting across party lines and especially the assurance by Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa that the State would share the cost (50 per cent) of the railway projects had resulted in Karnataka getting a good number of projects.

Mr. Udasi said that the budget was useful to Haveri district as several projects that indirectly benefited the district had been sanctioned. While the proposal for the Gadag-Haveri new rail route had been initiated, new passenger trains had been proposed on Gadag-Dharwad-Sollapur and Gadag-Bagalkot route. The doubling of Hospet-Gadag-Hubli-Vasco-da-Gama would also help in increasing the number of trains in the route, he said.

Source: The Hindu (http://www.hindu.com/2010/02/25/stories/2010022553480300.htm)

Krishnamoorthy K

February 25th, 2010, 09:36 AM

The long pending demand of the citizens of Kodagu may be realised with the Union Railways Minister Mamata Banerjee proposing a survey for the Mysore-Madikeri- Mangalore railwayline.

The Minister has also announced the survey for Mysore-Kushalnagar-Madikeri route. With this hopes have been raised for the railway connectivity of the district with the rest of the State.

A survey on rail connectivity to Kodagu had been conducted several years ago. However, the survey report had stated that the proposed railway route will incur loss instead of fetching revenue. As a result, the Railways dropped the proposal of providing rail connectivity. In fact, former Union Minister of State for Railways R Velu had also stated the same reason. He had promised to provide rail connectivity from K R Nagar to Kushalnagar.

The announcement of Mysore-Madikeri-Mangalore railwayline and survey for the Mysore-Kushalnagar-Madikeri railwayline has brought smile on the face of tourists and coffee growers. To provide air connectivity, government had identified Byadagotta near Kushalanagar. However, after the survey, the expert team had stated that the land is not suitable for airport. As a result, the proposal to provide air connectivity to Kodagu was dropped. Now the announcement of the Centre has brought in a ray of hope among the people.

Rail connectivity

Kodagu grows highest coffee in the sate. India produces 3 lakh tonne coffee. Of which, one lakh tonne comes from Kodagu. The coffee fetches Rs 2,500 crore as foreign exchange. The rail connectivity will help in transporting coffee to Mangalore or Bangalore.

At present, coffee is transported through container to Kochi or Bangalore. To transport coffee to Kochi in one container, one has to spend Rs 20,000 and Rs 15,000 to transport to Bangalore. If it is transported through rail, then the transportation cost will be reduced, says coffee entrepreneur P K Devaiah. Moreover, Kodagu is known as the Kashmir of South India and Switzerland of India.

There is a plenty of opportunity for the growth of tourism. The introduction of train will surely increase the number of visitors. The citizens of Kodagu depend on Mysore and Mangalore for health service, and higher education.

The introduction of train service between Mysore-Madikeri-Mangalore will help the people to go to Mysore for health care and education. It will also help the students to commute between Mangalore or Mysore.

Rail connectivity will also increase the employment opportunities. Kodagu do not have any mega industries. As a result, the people migrate to cities in search of jobs.

MP thanks Banerjee

MP H Vishwanath thanked Union Minister for Railways Mamata Banerjee for announcing railway line between Mysore-Madikeri-Mangalore and the survey for the Mysore-Kushalnagar-Madikeri railwayline. Speaking to Deccan Herald from New Delhi, he said “keeping in mind the tourism potentials in Kodagu district, the Central government has announced rail connectivity. The project will be implemented on the basis of 50:50 sharing by state and centre.”

Source: DHNS (http://www.deccanherald.com/content/54719/railway-budget-bumper-kodagu-chikmagalur.html)

Krishnamoorthy K

February 25th, 2010, 09:44 AM

The long-pending demand of the people of Bagalkot district has been fulfilled, with the sanctioning of the Kudchi-Bagalkot rail route in this year’s Railway Budget.

The demand for Kudchi-Bagalkot rail route has a hundred-years history. In 1894, the East India Company had for the first time proposed the project for the Kudchi-Bagalkot rail route. Later, in 1912, in 1920 and in 1993, a survey was conducted for the implementation of this project. However, the project was shelved, attributing to a report which stated that the Railway Department would not generate expected income on this route.

Later on, the people of Bagalkot district launched a struggle for the sanctioning of the rail route, under the State Broadguage Railway Action Committee and brought pressure on the Railway minister. Thus, in 2007, another survey was conducted by a committee, which submitted a report that the Kudchi-Bagalkot rail route would be contributing more than 18 per cent revenue to the Railways.

Encouraged by the response, the State Broadguage Railway Action Committee, under the leadership of Qutubuddin Khaji, converted the struggle into a people’s agitation in the district. The Action Committee members travelled to Delhi several times and tried to convince former railway minister Lalu Prasad Yadav, present Railway Minister Mamtha Banerjee and State Minister for Railways K H Muniyappa.

Bagalkot MP P C Gaddigoudar and other Congress leaders also extended their support to the cause and thus, the proposal received a green signal in the present Budget. The 141 km-route will begin from Bagalkot and pass through Navanagar, Gaddanakeri, Kaladagi, Mudhol, Jamkhandi, Rabakavi-Banahatti, Terdal and reach Kudchi railway station in Raibag taluk of Belgaum district.

As per the survey, an amount of Rs 456.7 crore has been estimated to be the construction cost. There are 12 sugar factories and five cement factories in the district.

Apart from this, the new rail route will be beneficial for the export of granite, iron ore and horticultural produce which are exported from this place. MP P C Gaddigoudar has expressed his happiness.

Apart from the prominent rail route, the green signal for the upgrading of the Bagalkot railway station and also the sanctioning of another Passenger train between Bagalkot-Gadag has brought happiness to the people of Bagalkot.

Source: DHNS (http://www.deccanherald.com/content/54678/century-old-dream-comes-true.html)

Krishnamoorthy K

February 25th, 2010, 09:55 AM

The railway budget presented by the Union Railways Minister Mamata Banerjee has evoked mixed reactions in Mangalore. Many welcomed the budget and some were critical of the budget.

The budget has given bounty to Karnataka. However, as far as Mangaloreans are concerned, the budget is disappointing. We had demanded an additional train from Bangalore to Mangalore, extension of Kannur-Salem-Bangalore train to Mangalore, which have not been touched upon. The survey for the railway line between Padubidri-Dharmasthala, Mangalore-Madikeri, Kushalnagar-Mysore needs to be approved by the Planning Commission regarding the feasibility of the project. We need to wait and see how far these surveys will help in providing rail connectivity—Railway Yathri Sangha, Puttur Technical Advisor Anil Hegde.

MLA Yogish Bhat said the railway budget needs to be welcomed as the Railway Minister has announced new trains, survey for the rail connectivity between Padubidri-Dharmasthala, Mangalore-Madikeri.

Achal Industries Proprietor Giridhar Prabhu said “the announcement of conducting survey to provide rail connectivity to Madikeri, Dharmasthala is a welcome move. The survey will help in collecting preliminary data for the railwayline viable for investment. The proposed railwayline will relieve the congestion of traffic on Mangalore-Mumbai corridor.

The budget has also given emphasis on east-west connectivity. The idea is that all developments are taking place in the hinterland. If multiple access is given, it will reduce the traffic. We must support all the activities of railwayline. If we do not have railway connectivity, then highways will be affected.”

“Budget sounds great. But how long it will take to be a reality”— Rons, a Mangalorean, exclaimed. “The budget announced by the Railway Minister is good as there is no increase in passenger fares and Rs 100 reduction in freight per wagon for fertilisers and kerosene.

The reduction in freight per wagon may be a way to control prices,” said a professor. Budget has neglected Konkan railway. However, the survey for new railwayline between Padubidri-Dharmasthala needs to be welcomed—Kaup MLA Lalaji R Mendon.

“There is no major share for Coastal Karnataka. There is no connectivity to North Karnataka. The demand of Bangalore-Karwar train has not been fulfiled,” said FKCC Udupi district unit President Gujjadi Prabhakar Nayak.

The budget is totally disappointing. The extension of train to Karwar is not mentioned in the budget. Compared to other states, its failure for Karmataka. Karnataka is not given an appropriate share—Udupi Railway Yathrikara Sangha President R L Dias.

Source: DHNS (http://www.deccanherald.com/content/54736/railway-budget-evokes-mixed-response.html)

Mixed response to rail budget in Udupi (http://www.hindu.com/2010/02/25/stories/2010022559830300.htm)
Mangalore: Budget disappoints people in region (http://www.hindu.com/2010/02/25/stories/2010022559040300.htm)

engineer.akash

February 25th, 2010, 11:19 AM

Govt to share costs to expedite completion of rly projects

State ready to give Rs 600 cr

Bangalore, Feb 24, DHNS:The State government will chip in Rs 600 crore as part of its share for taking up eight railway projects in the State, Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa announced in Bangalore on Wednesday.

Addressing a press conference in Bangalore, Yeddyurappa said the Government had decided to take up select projects on a cost sharing basis in a bid to expedite its completion.

The projects that would be taken up under the scheme include doubling of Hassan-Bangalore line, Kadur-Chikmagalur- Sakleshpur, Arasikere- Birur, Kolar-Chikkaballapur, Shimoga- Harihara, Whitefield-Kolar, Davangere - Tumkur and Bijapur - Shahabad. The State will bear 50 per cent of the project cost, Yeddyurappa said.

The Government is ready to allocate Rs 2,529 crore for railway projects on a cost sharing basis with the Centre for the next five years, the Chief Minister added. He said the State was ready with several projects to be taken up under the public-private partnership (PPP) model. These projects would be taken up with the Railways after it comes out with a policy on PPP projects. He said speedy completion of the projects would help in increased railway connectivity in the State.

CM welcomes exams in local language

Mamata Banerjee received appreciation from unexpected quarters with Chief Minister Yeddyurappa praising the Railway Budget proposals 2010-11. “The State has always been neglected when it comes to railways. But this time the State had got its due share. I thank Mamata Banerjee and Minister of State for Railway K H Muniyappa on behalf of the people of State”, Yeddyurappa said. The CM welcomed the proposals to conduct railway exams locally and in local language and introduction of e-ticket booking counters in rural areas.

DHNS (http://www.deccanherald.com/content/54679/state-ready-give-rs-600.html)