Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore (SP)

Mangalore, Jul 23: It is reliably learnt that the minister of state in the railway ministry, E Ahamed, has issued instructions to withdraw the proposal to extend the Bangalore-Mangalore train to Kannur.

In fact, because of the immense interest evinced by E Ahamed, the train had been extended to Kannur. The people of the coast have expressed their strong dissent to the proposal and the Lok Sabha members from the state’s coast have conveyed the anger of the people to the railway ministry. It is learnt, intelligence inputs have warned the ministry that the train, if extended in spite of the opposition, might culminate in the relationship between the people of the two states turning sour.

Ahamed is learnt to have held a round of discussions with senior Congress leaders like Oscar Fernandes, minister K H Muniyappa and a few others in this regard. However, the withdrawal of the extension would not be made official for the time being, as it would embarrass Ahamed. The ministry is mulling the desirability of running a new train between the city and Kozhikode and once that decision is finalized, the withdrawal announcement might come out, it is thought.

In the meanwhile, Dakshina Kannada Lok Sabha member Nalin Kumar Kateel has informed, that his meeting with railway minister Mamata Banerjee has been set for 12 pm on July 28. He has added, that he along with MPs D V Sadanand Gowda and Anant Kumar Hegde, apart from the state government representative in Delhi, V Dhananjay Kumar, will meet the railway minister. During the meeting, withdrawal of the above extension and starting of day-train between Mangalore and Bangalore will be the core issues for discussion, he explained.

The proposed visit of minister Ahamed next week to the city has also been deferred, it is learnt.