Gadag-Bagalkot gauge conversion may be taken up next year

Bellary, Karnataka, Oct 27 (UNI) Gauge conversion work between Gadag and Bagalkot will be taken up next year if the Karnataka Government paid its share of Rs 29 crore by May next, South Western Railway Divisional General Manager, Hubli, Triloknath Perti said today.

The railway division of Hubli was ready to release the required funds, but the State Government should respond positively atleast now after causing an inordinate delay, he told reporters after inaugurating a drinking water hut in Hospet Railway station.

Mr Triloknath disclosed that track doubling work would be started soon between Dharwad-Londa (30 km) and Hubli-Kunigal (two km) at a cost of Rs 100 crore. The survey work for doubling the track between Hospet-Vasco da Gama was in progress, he added.

Justifying the delay in completing the Hassan-Mangalore track, he said passenger trains on the route would be run from December-end and the delay was due to the loose sans sinking in several times.

He said the Hubli division had earned a revenue of Rs 600 crore through train fares and Rs 2,200 crore through freight charges. The division had fixed a target of 44 million tonnes for transportation of iron ore from this region in 2006-07 as against 38 million tonnes last year.

UNI XR GD TS1702