B'lore-Mysore track doubling work soon

It seems the hurdles erected in the path of the Bangalore-Mysore railway track doubling works would be cleared soon. Chief minister B S Yeddyurappa said the cabinet will approach the Department of Archaeology next week to shift the Tipu Armoury and help Railways complete the work.

He was speaking before flagging off the Gadag-Bagalkot passenger train here. Yeddyurappa was replying to Union minister of state for railway R Velu’s statement that the track doubling work between the two cities have been delayed because the state was still to give its clearance to shift Tipu’s armoury that has come in the way of the work. Velu said there was no alternative to shifting the armoury located on the narrow passage. “The work would be completed in two years if the obstacle is cleared,” Velu said.

Velu said, many development projects across the country have been delayed due to the long-drawn land acquisition process which rests with the respective state governments. “The work on Bangalore-Hassan and Kottur-Harihar lines are pending due to this. The work will get momentum if the obstacles are minimised.”

He said Karnataka would be linked to all important destinations in another two years. Over 90 per cent of the tracks in the state have been converted to broad-gauge and the remaining is under consideration.

Replying to Yeddyurappa and MP Prahlad Joshi’s demand to introduce trains and upgrade a few, he said he will ask the South Western Railway general manager to submit a proposal before the next ‘time table conference’. “I have Rs 1,700 crore in my kitty. There is no question of fund crunch while initiating developmental works,” he said.

He said work on the Bangalore-Jolarpet line is nearing completion while work on the Bangalore-Hassan and Humnabad-Raichur is under progress. The Hubli-Ankola railway line would be processed following the clearance from the environment ministry.