Will Bangalore-Mysore track doubling work become a reality ?

Mysore, Feb 20 (UNI) The people of South Karnataka are looking forward to the inclusion of track doubling work between Bangalore and Mysore in the coming Railway budget which will being more development go the region, comprising Mysore, Mandya and Chamarajanagara districts.

With the increasing pressure by local elected representatives, the project was expected to get the green signal from the Planning Commission.

Mysore Member of Parliament C H Vijayashankar, also a member of the Standing Committee of Railways, told UNI that the aspirations and demands of the people have reached the decision makers for their approval. He had extracted an assurance from Railway Board Chairman J P Batra to include the track doubling project in the ensuing budget. The attention of the Chairman was drawn to the fact that the Karnataka Government had allocated Rs 25 crore for the project in the State budget for 2006-2007 and more funds have been assured in the next budget by Deputy Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa, he added.

The project was to be taken up on a cost sharing basis, with Karnataka chipping in with two-thirds of the cost and the balance being met by the Railways. The total cost had been estimated at around Rs 340 crore.

Mr Vijayashankar said the public continued to repose faith that the project would materialise despite the delay and falure to find mention in successive railway budgets. The track doubling work on the stretch between Bangalore and Ramanagaram was going on at a brisk pace and there was a general consensus that it would be logical to extend the work up to Mysore. If the budgetary allocation for the ongoing work till Ramangaram was increased, it would help in the early commencemment of work on the Ramanagaram-Mysore stretch.

Despite nearly 13 trains running between the two cities, more trains were needed due to the heavy rush with more than 5,000 daily pass holders.

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