The Hindu : Nine rly. stations in State to be made model ones

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Nov 15, 2002

Southern States

Southern States - Karnataka-Bangalore

Nine rly. stations in State to be made model ones

By Our Staff Reporter

BANGALORE Nov. 14. Nine railway stations in Karnataka will be developed as model stations and computerised reservation counters provided in four more locations in the State, the Union Minister of State of Railways, Bandaru Dattatreya, has said.

Speaking after flagging off the Yeshwantpur-Solapur weekly express train at Yeshwantpur Railway Station here today, the minister said the stations to be developed as model stations included Gulbarga, Hospet, Hubli, Mangalore, Mysore, Raichur, Shimoga, and Toranagal. These stations would get all passenger amenities. Out of the 7,000 stations in the country, 289 were being developed as model stations.

Computerised reservation counters would be opened at Kengeri in Bangalore, Hassan, Mangalore, and Chikmagalur.

He said all the new trains would have four general compartments each. Hitherto, trains had only two general compartments. Though reservation compartments generated more revenue for the Railways, this policy decision was taken for the benefit of the public.

Sixteen express and as many inter-city trains would be introduced soon. Among them were the Bangalore-Hubli Jan Shatabdi (daily) Express to be started by the end of this month, the Yeshwantpur-Cannanore Express (weekly) by January next year, and the Yeshwantpur-Durg Express (weekly) by December.

The minister said instructions would be issued to ensure that the new Yeshwantpur-Solapur train stopped at Doddaballapur, Gouribidnur, and Ganagapur stations. The issue of ensuring halts for the Rani Chenamma and other North-bound express trains at Yeshwantpur station would be considered positively. He also said the new train would be named Sharana Basaveshwara Express, as suggested by Anant Kumar, Union Minister for Urban Development and Poverty Alleviation.

The "Railneer" pilot project to supply bottled water would be started in October in Delhi and Patna. This would be extended to the maximum number of stations in all the zones in phases, the minister said.

On the demand for the inclusion of Guntakal-Toranagal section in the Hubli division, he said a decision in this regard was yet to be taken.

The Railway Ministry would soon start a super-fast train on Konkan Railway with a speed of 150 km/h. The Railway Safety Commissioner had already made an inspection in this regard.

Dismissing suggestions that railway projects in the State were not progressing expeditiously, he told presspersons that the ministry had allocated Rs. 159 crore in the current financial year as against the Rs. 114 crore in the previous year.

Mr. Kumar intervened to say the State Government was yet acquire land required to complete the projects. The Government was yet to release its share of funds. There was, however, a need for Mr. Dattatreya and the Chief Minister, S.M. Krishna, to hold a meeting to expeditiously complete the projects.

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