RAILWAYS PITCHES SUBURBAN RAIL, DOUBLING AND QUADRUPLING

The longest pending Bengaluru Suburban Railway network covering 170 km, as stated by the RITES feasibility study, should be implemented, and doubling and electrification of Ye sh want hp ur-Ban as wadi-Hos ur and Yeshwanthpur-Tumakuru lines that are pending for along time should be started, said Krishna Prasad, member, Karnataka Railway Vedike, listing out the city’s demands in the Union Budget which will be presented by Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Thursday.

The "pink book", which covers the financial allocation for the Railways, will be part of the budget.

“We need automatic signalling for the entire 400 kilometre stretch in the Bengaluru division, along with quadrupling of Cantonment- Whitefield project, and the remaining funds for the Baiyappanahalli coaching terminal should be disbursed," said transport expert Sanjeev Dyamnavar.

Dyamnavar was referring to the world class railway coaching terminal announced by former railway minister Suresh Prabhu which was supposed to get ` 130 crore but received only ` 32 crore last year.

Deputy General Mana ger and CPRO of SWR E.

Vijaya said, “We have proposed doubling and electrification of all routes that don't have it right now, such as Yeshwan thpur- Banaswadi- Hosur and Yeshwanthpur

Tumakuru lines ."

“After conducting a survey, we have included the proposal for Cantonment

Whitefield quadrupling.

For all doubled lines, we have sent the proposal for quadrupling. For example, Bengaluru- Mysuru and Jolarpet- Dharmavaram. Though the Tumakuru line is doubled, the work is still going on till Arasikere,” Vijaya said.

The ` 309 crore proposal for automatic signalling has also been sent by the division for Bengaluru City to Whitefield, Mandya, Yeshwanthpur- Tumakuru, Yeshwanthpur- Yelahanka, Y el a hank a-K. R. Puram and Hosur Road- Baiyappanahallu- Lottegollahalli.

The Railway Board is also expected to approve the development of Cantonment Suburban Rail Terminal by adding two platforms in the budget. Krishna Prasad said, “They must sanction funds for new lines like Ga dag-Wadi, Ku du chi-Bag alkot,Gi niger Mehaboobnagar and Tumakuru- Rayadurga. The Kalaburgi division, announced in 2013- 14 is still awaited.” Elimination of level- crossings was ignored in the 2017- 2018 budget and only one rail under bridge was sanctioned.