From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore
Bangalore, Sep 12: The long-delayed Kadur-Chikmagalur railway project will finally be completed by March 2013 and the tracks will be thrown open for movement of trains.
Along with the 93-kms Kadur-Chikmagalur rail line project, which was included in the 1996-97 budget, two other major railway projects in the State are also likely to be completed by March 2013, according to Union Minister of State for Railways K H Muniyappa.
The two other railway projects slated for completion by March 2013 are: Kolar-Chikballapur and Kottur-Harihar.
Muniyappa, who held a two-hour-long meeting with Karnataka Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar along with top officials of the Railways and the State Government, told reporters in the presence of the Chief Minister that the projects were delayed on account hurdles in the land acquisition.
Delayed acquisition of lands led to escalation of the project cost, the minister said.
The Government has acquired 2960 acres for various projects in the State.
The cost escalation would be less than 20 per cent if the project was completed in a five year period, they said.
Shettar and Muniyappa said the State Government and Indian Railways have taken up 14 projects on 50:50 cost sharing basis and the State would share Rs 5829 crore to complete 1430 kms of line in the 14 projects.
Work on all the 14 railways projects the State was progressing satisfactorily, they said.
Shettar said the government has sanctioned its share of Rs 100 crore for four projects and they are Kolar-Chikballapur (Rs 20 crore), Hassan-Bangalore (Rs. 20 crore), Bagalkote-Kudachi (Rs 40 crore) and Tumkur-Rayadurga (Rs 20 crore).
Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, has prepared a report on laying railway line between Talaguppa and Honnavar.
As environmental issues were involved in the completion of the project, a meting would be convened in Delhi and scientists of the Indian Institute of Science would be asked to present the report, the Chief Minister said.
Karnataka Chief Secretary S V Ranganath, officials of Union Environment Ministry, Railway Board and South-Western Railway would attend the meeting, Muniyappa said.
Union Minister for Railways Mukul Roy would visit Bangalore next month to lay foundation for various projects in the State, Muniyappa said.
Ashok Kumar Mittal, General Manager, South-Western Railway, said the Railways has been undertaking gauge conversion of 110-120 km a year in the State.
Efforts would be made to scale up to 120 km to 150 km a year and later to 200 km a year depending on the availability of funds.