Hubballi (Karnataka), Sep 25 (IANS): Shocked and saddened by the sudden demise of Union Minister of State for Railways Suresh Angadi in New Delhi due to COVID infection, hundreds of officers and staff of the South Western Railway (SWR) zone paid rich tributes to him on Thursday.

Angadi (65) was a four-time BJP Lok Sabha member from Belagavi.

"Since Angadi became Railway Minister in May 2019, Karnataka benefitted a lot with all-round development in the state, especially in expanding the rail network, train services and passenger amenities," SWR general manager Ajay Kumar Singh said on the occasion here.

During Angadi's outstanding stint as a minister for 16 months, Indian Railways embarked on massive infrastructure development and safety measures.

"Angadi was instrumental in getting more funds and projects for the zonal railway and Karnataka. As an MP, he was a driving force behind development works in and around Belagavi, including four roads over bridges," recalled Singh.

The minister's intervention revived passenger service between Kotturu and Harihar and Ambewadi-Dharwad, which were closed for a long time.

Terming Angadi's untimely passing away a great loss to the southern state and the railways, Singh said despite his busy schedule, the minister visited the zonal office in the city frequently and expedited land acquisition for many projects by getting the state government on board.

"Angadi's initiatives had put infrastructure development on the fast track as many projects were launched. About 50 new trains were introduced during his tenure, connecting many parts of the state to various destinations across the country,a said Singh.

"Amid the pandemic, Angadi unveiled dedicated Railway Museum at Hubballi, flagged off the zonal railway's first roll on and roll off service for ferrying trucks with perishable goods between Bengaluru and Sholapur in Maharashtra and dedicated the redeveloped Arasulu station as Malgudi museum," added Singh.