MP Nalin Lays Foundation for Doubling of Netravati-Mangaluru Central Section
Mangaluru: The Foundation stone laying ceremony for Doubling of the Netravati Mangaluru Central Section and the Foot Over Bridge at the Mangaluru Central Railway Station on August 18.
The DRM of Palghat Division Naresh Lalwani welcomed the gathering. The programme was inaugurated by MP Nalin Kumar Kateel and Mayor Kavitha Sanil along with other dignitaries on the dais.
Addressing the gathering Mayor Kavitha Sanil said, “I would like to thank MP Nalin Kumar Kateel and the Railway minister for taking the initiative to lay the foundation stone for Doubling of the Netravati Mangaluru Central Section and Foot Over Bridge at the Mangaluru Railway station. This was a long pending demand which has been fulfilled now.”
Mayor Kavitha further said, “I have three demands for which the MP and the Railway minister should take the initiative and solve them. My first demand is to upgrade the Mangaluru Central Railway station to International standards. Mangaluru has been included in the smart city list and already the work on the first phase has begun. If we upgrade the Mangaluru Railway station to the international standards, Mangalur city will get a good name and will be identified Internationally. The demand of the Coastal region is to divide the Railway Station into various divisions. The land in Jeppu Kudupadi and Konguru which should have been handed over to the MCC by the Railway department is still pending. I request the concerned authorities to hand over the land to MCC. There are a number of development projects by the Railways which should be completed soon.”
Addressing the gathering MP Nalin Kumar Kateel said, “We have laid the foundation for Doubling of the Netravati – Mangaluru Central Section and Foot Over Bridge today. After Independence, the development of the Railways was moving at the speed of a tortoise. But now the Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu and Prime Minister Modi have given it the speed of a horse. From many years I had kept a number of demands with Kharge and the Railway minister when Yeddyurappa was the CM. They had decided to upgrade the Karnataka Railway similar to Goa and Kerala.”
MP Nalin further said, “Under Modi’s government from the past 3 years funds of Rs1500 crore have been sanctioned to the Dakshina Kannada District Railway. Mangaluru is included in the smart city list and under the Amrit Yojana Rs 163 crore have been sanctioned. Mangaluru city has been taken seriously and included in the medical tourism. Under the MCC limits, there are always protests against the Padil Railway bridge. If we strengthen the relationship between the PWD, Railway department, Highway and the MCC problems can be solved. Because of miscommunication between the departments, there are problems. Now the Padil Railway bridge has been completed.”
MP Nalin also said, “To upgrade the Mangalru Railway to International standard we need funds. The Railway department is not a profitable department. We need to work on a PPP model to upgrade the Mangaluru Railway. We have done the survey and got 60 acres of land from the Railway department. If we get another 40 acres of land from the state government or the MCC we can start the up gradation of Mangaluru Railway to International Standards. Mangaluru is a heaven compared to other cities in the country. In Mangaluru we have the highest temples, churches, mosques, education Institutions, Medical institutions, port, airport, and beaches. If we forget politics and work together hand in hand, we can upgrade the Mangaluru Railway to International standards.”
MP Nalin said, “In order to improve the efficiency of freight and passenger train operations in Mangaluru area and to equip the section for future, Southern Railway took up the doubling work between Panambur and Mangaluru junction. The total estimate for the 19 km long project was Rs 238.04 crores. A new crossing station between Padil and Thokur was proposed at Jokatte, as a modification of doubling, to overcome the operational constraints and increase line capacity”.
Chief Engineer Construction Ernakulam Ranadheer Reddy delivered the vote of thanks. ZP President Meenakshi Shanthigodu and others were also present.