4 days ago
Patil Calls Karnataka’s Railway Quadrupling Exclusion Gross Injustice
Karnataka wants more railway tracks so trains can move more easily.
Minister MB Patil said the Central Government’s plan for seven upgraded railway routes does not include any route in Karnataka.
He called this unfair to the State.
Karnataka has several busy routes connecting Bengaluru with cities such as Mumbai, Chennai and Mangaluru.
Patil also said coastal towns do not have enough railway connections to important inland cities.
He argued that this makes people and goods depend too much on highways.
The Centre has announced high-speed rail links from Bengaluru to Chennai and Hyderabad.
Patil said those trains would travel less than 100 kilometres inside Karnataka.
He wants the Centre to consider a Bengaluru–Hubballi–Pune high-speed route and give Karnataka greater priority.
MB Patil said no Karnataka route was included in the Centre’s seven-route quadrupling plan.
The announced four-line corridors include Delhi–Howrah, Howrah–Chennai and five other major routes.
Patil urged development of Karnataka routes including Bengaluru–Mumbai, Bengaluru–Chennai and Bengaluru–Mangaluru.
He said inadequate coastal rail links are placing additional pressure on Karnataka’s highways.
Patil also sought a Bengaluru–Hubballi–Pune high-speed rail corridor and criticized the Centre’s lack of response.
- Who
- Karnataka Infrastructure Development Minister MB Patil, the Central Government, Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and Karnataka’s MPs.
- What
- Patil criticized Karnataka’s exclusion from a seven-route railway quadrupling plan and sought more railway and high-speed rail projects for the State.
- Where
- Karnataka, including Bengaluru and its coastal towns, in relation to national railway corridors.
- When
- Friday, after Ashwini Vaishnaw recently announced the seven-route quadrupling plan and after high-speed rail projects were announced in this year’s Budget.
- Why
- Patil said Karnataka has several high-density routes, inadequate coastal connectivity and excessive pressure on its highways.
Karnataka’s Position
Central Railway Plan
Quadrupling priorities
Karnataka’s Position
Patil says Karnataka’s high-density routes should be comprehensively developed as four-line corridors and that excluding them is discriminatory.
Central Railway Plan
The Centre’s announced plan focuses on seven other routes: Delhi–Howrah, Howrah–Chennai, Chennai–Mumbai, Mumbai–Delhi, Delhi–Chennai, Mumbai–Howrah and Delhi–Guwahati.
High-speed rail coverage
Karnataka’s Position
Patil says the Bengaluru–Chennai and Bengaluru–Hyderabad projects will primarily benefit other States because less than 100 kilometres of each route will run within Karnataka.
Central Railway Plan
The Central Government has announced both connections in this year’s Budget; the article does not provide its stated response to Patil’s criticism.
Project cooperation and priority
Karnataka’s Position
Patil says Karnataka is offering 50:50 cost sharing and deserves priority because of its economic importance and highway pressures.
Central Railway Plan
Patil alleges that the Centre is prioritizing Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh–Telangana over Karnataka; the article does not include a response from the Centre.
Key facts
- Announced quadrupling plan
- Seven high-density railway routes are to be upgraded to four-line corridors.
- Karnataka routes cited
- Bengaluru–Pune–Mumbai, Bengaluru–Mysuru, Bengaluru–Mangaluru, Bengaluru–Chennai, Bengaluru–Shivamogga, Bengaluru–Vijayapura and Bengaluru–Kalaburagi.
- Coastal length
- Karnataka has a 330-kilometre-long coastline.
- High-speed rail projects
- The Budget announced links connecting Bengaluru with Chennai and Hyderabad.
- Patil’s alternative proposal
- A high-speed rail corridor connecting Bengaluru, Hubballi and Pune.
- Cost-sharing offer
- Karnataka is offering cooperation on a 50:50 cost-sharing basis for railway projects.
- Reported train coverage
- Patil said trains on the Bengaluru–Chennai and Bengaluru–Hyderabad routes would run less than 100 kilometres within Karnataka.
Quotes
MB Patil
Karnataka Infrastructure Development Minister
“We are extending our cooperation on a 50:50 cost-sharing basis to ensure that railway projects are taken up quickly. This is not the case in other States. Yet, the Central Government is not giving Karnataka the same priority that it is giving Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh.”
thehansindia.com
Sources
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