The Hindu : Karnataka News : Railway stations need landscaping: Minister

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Nov 11, 2004

Karnataka

Karnataka

Railway stations need landscaping: Minister

By Our Staff Reporter

BANGALORE, NOV. 10. The Minister of State for Railways, R. Velu, today asked the Railway authorities to provide landscaping at railway stations.

He was commissioning the double railway line between Bisanattam and Kuppam, at Bangarpet, about 90 km from here. With this, the entire Bangalore-Chennai line has an electrified double track, and this may help increase the speed of trains on the route and introduce additional services.

Mr. Velu said railway stations in Andhra Pradesh looked better with landscaping. His Ministry wanted to remodel railway stations on the lines of those in Russia. Railway stations also needed better infrastructure, such as well-maintained platforms, toilets and drinking water. The Railway Budget had earmarked Rs. 210 crores for essential facilities. The South Western Railway had been given Rs. 21 crores, he added.

He said the Railways was considering a proposal to use a mixture of diesel and bio-fuel extracted from "jatropha." It was collaborating with the Indian Oil Corporation in this regard. If this could help the Railways bring down diesel consumption by even five per cent, a lot of foreign exchange could be saved.

`Bullet train'

Mr. Venu said a Japanese firm was studying a proposal to introduce a "bullet train" between Mumbai and Howrah. Its report was expected by the end of the current financial year. Such trains were needed in other regions too. Later, Mr. Velu told presspersons the Japanese bullet trains moved at speeds of 250 km to 300 km per hour (kmph). "We are looking at introducing the trains that can achieve a speed of 300 kmph," the Minister said.

About the Hubli-Ankola railway line, he said a meeting would be held this month with the Union Ministry of Environment.Mr. Velu assured the Union Minister of State for Road Transport and Highways, K.H. Muniyappa, who was present, that he would consider the latter's request to introduce more trains between Bangarpet and Kuppam and extend the Bangalore-Malur push-pull train up to Kuppam. Electrification of the line between Bangarpet and Kuppam would be taken up soon, he said.

Retirement scheme

Mr. Muniyappa said the Centre was likely to announce an attractive voluntary retirement scheme for the employees of Bharat Gold Mines Limited, which has stopped its operations in the Hutti Gold Mines.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Karnataka