The Hindu : Front Page : Still waiting for that green signal

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Nov 11, 2007
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Still waiting for that green signal

Govind D. Belgaumkar

Train services will start as soon as nod is received: SWR official

All safety concerns raised by the board member addressed
Ministry waiting for a suitable time for inauguration

MANGALORE: The railway line passing through the Western Ghats is ready and trains can now run between Bangalore and Mangalore, according to South Western Railway General Manager Praveen Kumar.

However, the final clearance of the Railway Board was awaited before the rail route is made operational, Mr. Kumar told The Hindu on the telephone from Badami. All the safety concerns raised by the Member (Technical) of the Railway Board during his visit to the area some time ago had been addressed.

He said South Western Railway had received the sanction required from the Commissioner for Railway Safety and there was no need to approach the authority again. All the steps suggested by the Commissioner had been taken.

On the proposed agitation by the BJP from November 20, Mr. Kumar said he would bring this to the notice of the Railway Board.

He saw no reason why the recent advertisements inviting tenders for strengthening or protection work in the ghat section should cause concern. One of them was for “strengthening and protecting the side slopes of cuttings by using chain link mesh netting with high-strength galvanised steel wire rope at various locations between Sakleshpur-Subramanya Road stations.”

The Railways had invited tenders for construction of barricades and for other protection work to stop boulders from falling (on tracks) between Sakleshpur and Yadakumari stations, Donigal and Shribagilu stations and between Yadakumari and Subramanya Road stations and this need not bother the people.

The barricades were to ensure that no untoward incident occurred during the rainy season.

The trains could be operated pending completion of these works, Mr. Kumar said.

He said South Western Railway was equipped to start the train services within a day after receiving clearance from the Railway Board.

Meanwhile, sources said the Ministry of Railways was waiting for a suitable time to ensure that a “top functionary” took part in the function to inaugurate the broad-gauge line.

The absence of an elected government in the State had delayed it, the sources said.

Cargo and passenger movement on the track was stopped in 1996 when the metre-gauge line was taken up for conversion to broad gauge.

When commissioned, the Bangalore-Mangalore line is expected to greatly fuel the economic growth of this region.

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