Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore (GA)

Mangalore, Jan 31: After MP D V Sadanand Gowda's promises to start the much-awaited Mangalore-Bangalore passenger train within stipulated time, now it is the turn of district-in-charge minister B Nagaraj Shetty to do the same.  While DV Sadanand Gowda went on promising a new date for resumption of the service, Nagaraj Shetty has just begun his list of promises.  These days D V Sadanand Gowda is busy solving differences within the party, finalizing names of the presidents for corporations and boards, Nagaraj Shetty has stepped in his shoes to keep the issue burning.

Speaking during the 36 anniversary jubilee of Dakshina Kannada Taximen's Association at Ravindra Kala Bhavan here on Tuesday January 30, he said that the passenger train to Bangalore from the city will chug-off by the end of March 2007.

Well, he has done his part, that is, promising.  But having seen the state of affairs in the case in the last few years, no one can guarantee that the train will chug-off in March.  Despite all clearances and other necessary paper works, train has not been started. 

In the last couple of years, it has become a habit for ministers, MPs and MLAs to promise that train will soon chug-off on the route.  However, owing to people's inability to question these elected representatives about the authenticity of their promise, all these remain only in newspaper columns, government files, said a small-time businessman who has to do frequent runs between the city and capital for his business.