Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (KD/GA) - pic - Ganesh S Perla
Mangalore, Apr 3: While the passenger train between the city and Bangalore has been a long-awaited project for many, it has never come close to realization ever. Despite several promises by leaders of the region, irrespective of their party, the project has never overcome the several obstacles that came on the track. Now after a long time someone from outside the politics has promised about the starting of train. The fresh promise is that passenger train between the city and state capital Bangalore on broad-gauge might chug off from May this year.
This was announced by Sarala Balagopal, Director of Hassan-Mangalore Rail Development Company (HMRDC) Ltd. She was speaking at an interactive press meet organized Kanara Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) in the Meeting Hall at Bunder here on Monday April 2. She further said that a successful initiative has been taken by the government to develop railway infrastructure through HMRDC.
Speaking about the cooperation between HMRDC and the state government she said that it has been fruitful and successful partnership between the two in the sense that it has been beneficial to the people. The state and the railways have a 40% joint equity each in HMRDC, while the New Mangalore Port and Mineral Enterprises Limited each have 9% equity, while the rest is with K-Ride.
The total cost of the project at the completion has been Rs 320 crore. Ever since goods trains began operating on the route from May 2006, a total of 100 trains have chugged off, out of which 500 were fully loaded, she informed.
KCCI president Capt John Prasad Menezes presented a memorandum seeking development of the line for eco-tourism.
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