Pics: Meryick D’Silva
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore (BG)
Mangalore, Jul 3: Passenger Reservation System (PRS), a railway ticket reservation centre of southern railway was inaugurated here on Thursday July 3 at the DC office premises.
The centre was inaugurated by by MP Nalin Kumar Kateel by cutting the ribbon and lighting the auspicious lamp.
Addressing after the inauguration, Nalin Kumar Kateel said that the people of the region have been demanding an increase in the number of railway ticket reservation centres in the city.
"Through this PRS, we have fulfilled the demands of the people to a certain extent. I have released Rs 5 lac from my MP fund towards this centre. There were also complaints that there are only Malayalam speaking people in the reservation centres in Mangalore which created communication gap," he said.
"Kannada speaking people will be given priority to work in these centres. Nearly 4 lac railway tickets are booked in Mangalore annually, out of which nearly 1 lac are online bookings. We expect nearly 1 lac ticket bookings in the PRS counters. People should make use of this counter as it is in a very convenient location," he said.
"The counter will work on general shift timings, from 8 am to 8 pm. Union railway minister D V Sadananda Gowda has given three gifts to the people of DK district; a railway stop at Neralakatte, a stop at Edamangala from July 5, and the third is the PRS centre in Mangalore," said the MP.
DC A B Ibrahim said, "Due to the crowd and other problems in the main railway reservation centres, this PRS has been installed. People must make use of this service to the maximum extent. Visually impaired and differently-abled people will be also be given opportunity to work in the centres."
"This centre is the first in Karnataka under the Palakkad division. There are nearly a thousand PRS centres to be started in India and every MP is allowed to start one centre in his constituency," said Mohan K Menon, additional divisional railway manager, Palakkad division.
Senior divisional commercial manager, Dhananjay, ADC Sadashiva Prabhu and many others were present.
MP Nalin Kumar Kateel gets new office
On the same occasion, MP Nalin Kumar Kateel's new office was inaugurated at DC's office building here on Thursday, July 3.
The office was inaugurated by lighting the auspicious lamp by Swamy Nithyananda of Bandiyod along with former minister Krishna J Palemar, BJP district president Prathap Simha Nayak, ZP president Asha Thimmappa Gowda, DC A B Ibrahim and others.
Speaking after the inauguration, MP Nalin Kumar Kateel said, "The people of the district have blessed and supported me for the second time by choosing me as an MP. For all my official needs and for the benefit of the people, MP office has been inaugurated here in the DC office building."
"Every Tuesday I will be available in the office and will receive complaints from the public. People can directly meet me here," he added.
"After I became the MP, I convened important meetings in connection to railway and national highways. I will visit my ward often and listen to the grievances of the people and try my utmost to get them resolved at the earliest," he promised.
On issues related to various proposed projects in the district, he said, "I have already written to the union minister to drop the Niddodi power project at the earliest, as it will have adverse effects on the agricultural lands in the surroundings. IT Park will be soon set up and more IT companies will be urged to step in to the district. SAZ (Special Agricultural Zones) will be brought into effect to encourage and support all agricultural developments.
"A proposal has been sent for setting up Konkan railway divison in Mangalore and intercity trains connecting Kasargod - Mangalore - Udupi and Mangalore - Subrahmanya, thus boosting the rail connectivity in the district," he said.
Regarding the controversial Yettinahole project, he said, "We have no problem with giving excess water to other places, but it is not acceptable to give water to others when we are facing acute shortage. We will not accept that by any means."
A cheque of Rs 5 lacwas handed over by the SEZ officials to Government High School, Machina, Beltangady, under the CSR scheme of the SEZ.
MP Nalin Kumar also received his first memorandum on the occasion. Various leaders were present on the occasion.