Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has said the Ministry has proposed to the Karnataka government to take over Hassan-Mangaluru Rail Development Corporation in response to a question by Dakshina Kannada MP Captain Brijesh Chowta on Wednesday, December 11, in the Lok Sabha in New Delhi. | Photo Credit: ANIL KUMAR SASTRY

Railway Ministry proposes to take over Hassan-Mangaluru Rail Development Corporation

Dakshina Kannada MP Captain Brijesh Chowta urges Railway Minister to bring Mangaluru Railway Region under South Western Railway administration

by · The Hindu

Having proposed that it will take over the Hassan-Mangaluru Rail Development Corporation (HMRDC), a special purpose vehicle formed for gauge conversion of Hassan-Mangaluru Railway Line following its poor financial health, the Railway Ministry has sanctioned the final location survey for line doubling between Bengaluru and Mangaluru in two parts, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said on Wednesday (December 11, 2024).

He was responding to a question in the Lok Sabha by Dakshina Kannada MP Captain Brijesh Chowta regarding the Ministry’s plans to augment the Mangaluru-Bengaluru line capacity. Responding to a supplementary question raised by Capt. Chowta during the Question Hour, Mr. Vaishnaw said since the project was a joint venture, the contribution of the State government has to come for capacity enhancement.

Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said that the Ministry has ordered final location survey between Bengaluru (Chikkabanawara)-Hassan and Hassan-Mangaluru for doubling the line, during Question Hour in the Lok Sabha in New Delhi. | Photo Credit: ANIL KUMAR SASTRY

He said the Hassan-Mangaluru line was converted into a broad gauge line through the HMRDC, with the Ministry and Karnataka government being partners. Stating that he would give a detailed response to Capt. Chowta personally, Mr. Vaishnaw wound up his response as the Question Hour came to an end.

Regarding the MP’s main question about Ministry‘s plans plan to establish a high capacity line between Mangaluru and Bengaluru to improve passenger and freight connectivity, Mr. Vaishnaw in his written reply said the broad gauge line between Hassan and Mangaluru (183 km) was commissioned in 2006 after the gauge conversion.

The Bengaluru (Chikkabanawara)-Hassan line (167 km) was commissioned in 2014. The Ministry has proposed to the Karnataka government to take over HMRDC due to the latter’s poor financial condition. Final Location Survey for doubling the Chikkabanawara-Hassan and Hassan-Mangaluru lines have been sanctioned, Mr. Vaishnaw added.

Capt. Chowta later responded saying he would pursue the HMRDC issue with the Karnataka government for the execution of the key infrastructure project. On completion, the project would bring a world of change for the region.

Bring Mangaluru under SWR

In the supplementary question, Capt. Chowta also raised the issue of bringing Mangaluru Railway Region under South Western Railway’s Mysuru Division from Southern Railway’s Palakkad Division.

Dakshina Kannada MP Captain Brijesh Chowta met Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw with a demand to bring Mangaluru Railway Region under South Western Railways’ Mysuru Division recently in New Delhi. | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

A few days ago, the MP met Mr. Vaishnaw and submitted a letter with the demand for reorganisation of the Mangaluru Railway Region administration. At present, the region, comprising Mangaluru Central, Mangaluru Junction and Panambur (New Mangalore Port), was divided between three zones — Southern, South Western and Konkan Railways.

The administrative centre was located in Palakkad, about 350 km from Mangaluru, thus causing inconvenience to patrons and users. On the other hand, Mysuru with a distance of 250 km by road, was conveniently located for the people of the region, Capt. Chowta pointed out.

Published - December 12, 2024 01:21 pm IST