Karnataka projects get Rs 2,450 crore

Mangalore Today News Network

New Delhi, Feb 27, 2015, DHNS: Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu on Thursday earmarked over Rs 2,450 crore for Karnataka’s ongoing projects, of which Rs 368 crore has to be borne by the state on cost-sharing basis.

Last year, Karnataka received around Rs 2,000 crore for ongoing projects. Though a major portion of the state comes under the Hubli-headquartered South Western Railway Zone, some parts of railway network also fall under the Southern Railway Zone and South Central Railway Zone. 

Prabhu allocated Rs 1,001 crore for laying new lines against last year’s Rs 487 crore and Rs 66 crore for gauge conversion against last year’s Rs 11.5 crore. A sum of Rs 1,268 crore has been sanctioned for doubling work, while last year the state got around Rs 400 crore. He sanctioned Rs 115 crore for railway under/over bridges. The State government has to sanction Rs 368 crore mostly for new lines as well as doubling work.

Karnataka has only 16.9 km per 1,000 sq km railway network while Tamil Nadu, Gujarat and Punjab have much higher rail densities.

To increase the railway network in the state, the government had signed an MoU with the Ministry of Railway earlier to provide free land and bear 50 per cent of the project cost.

Union Fertiliser Minister Ananth Kumar appreciated Prabhu’s proposals. He said the budget would help in early completion of several pending projects in Karnataka and also increase the railway network.