Bangalore-Mysore double track to be ready by March

Work on the on-going rail track-doubling work between Bangalore and Mysore would be expedited so as to be complete it by March 2015, Railway Minister D V Sadananda Gowda said in Mysore today.

The 140-km track-doubling project, which was taken up in 2007, is partially complete, totaling about 91 km. It has been facing a hurdle chiefly over the shifting of a magazine, a monument of the 18th century meant for storing gun-powder at Srirangapatna, besides land and funds.

Gowda told reporters that all hurdles had been cleared and work would be speeded up. Improving rail traffic between the two cities would reduce the pressure on the road connecting Bangalore and Mysore. He admitted that the journey time of the trains between the two cities was a little longer and all efforts would be made to reduce the same.

The minister told reporters that no new proposals had been made in the Railway Budget to hasten the already sanctioned projects.

While travelling by the Gol Gumbaz Express from Bangalore to Mysore, he inspected the bogies, toilets and drinking water facility, and stated that cleanliness in the trains need improvement and sought co-operation from the travelling public. Top priority would be given for improving both cleanliness and facilities, he added.

He also inspected the canteen, waiting halls, ticket counters and other facilities at the City Railway Station and held a meeting with the railway officials who briefed him on the hurdles faced in completing the project.

The officials told him, besides shifting of the magazine, land was also required at Srirangapatna. The minister asked the deputy commissioners concerned to hasten land acquisition so that the Railays could complete the much-delayed project. The Deputy Commissioners of Mysore, Mandya, Hassan, Ramanagara and Chamarajanagar attended the meeting, souces said.

The DCs reportedly explained that land acquisition process had become somewhat an issue with the new Land Acquisition Act that had come into force. However, the best efforts were being made to acquire the required land. Gowda suggested to them to purchase the lands and hand it over to the Railways.