Mangalore : Minister for Railways D.V. Sadananda Gowda on Saturday said he would accord top priority to proposals for rail infrastructure development in Dakshina Kannada as he owes a lot to the people in the district. The project which remained pending owing to certain technical problems will now be completed within a short period.

Speaking after laying the foundation stone for a road underbridge on Padil-Bajal Road, he said the time had come to fulfil a three-decade-old-demand. Pointing out to the large gathering at Mangalore Junction here, Mr. Gowda told the General Manager of Southern Railway, Rakesh Mishra, that the numbers speak of happiness as well as a warning to the Railways that enormous delays would not be tolerated anymore.

The Minister said he attempted his best to fulfil the wishes of people in the district in the Railway Budget. The work on a world-class station at Mangalore Central would start once the Railways got a private partner. The detailed project report by KITCO to develop the station at a cost of Rs. 215 crore was ready, he said. Besides, two escalators would be provided at the Central Station for the benefit of elderly, women and disabled, he said. A mechanised laundry too would come up there, he added.

Mr. Gowda said he had earmarked Rs. 140 crore to speed up the construction of Bangalore-Hassan new line as against Rs. 40 crore provided in the interim Railway budget. The line should be complete by March 2016, he said. Two more road underbridges and road overbridges had been sanctioned for Mangalore, the Minister said.
The proposed express train between Mangalore and Bangalore was likely to be named as Kudla Express, Mr. Gowda said.

Ramanatha Rai, minister for forest, environment and ecology presided over the function. Mahabala Marla, mayor, Mangalore City Corporation and Nalin Kumar Kateel, MP were the chief guests.

MLA J R Lobo, MLCs Capt Ganesh Karnik and Ivan D’Souza, and Asha Thimmappa Gowda, president, Dakshina Kannada zilla panchayat were present on the occasion.

Pics : Nithin