Mysuru: The railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has revealed plans to improve the connectivity between Mysuru, Bengaluru and Hassan by expanding the railway infrastructure. The minister disclosed that Final Location Surveys (FLSs) have been approved for the doubling of the line between Chikbanavar and Hassan (180km) and the quadrupling of the line between Bengaluru and Mysuru (135km). The minister was responding to a question raised by BJP MP Lahar Singh Siroya in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday.
The minister stated that these two projects are part of a 742km commuter railway project designed to meet the demand of commuters from satellite towns. The project also includes the construction of new lines, bypasses, and electrification of existing lines. The minister said that the project is being executed by the Rail Infrastructure Development Company (Karnataka) Limited (K-RIDE), a joint venture between the Ministry of Railways and the Government of Karnataka.
The minister added that the project is expected to reduce the travel time, congestion, and pollution on the roads, and provide a safe, comfortable, and affordable mode of transport for the people. The minister also said that the project will boost the economic development of the region by facilitating the movement of goods and passengers.
The MP Siroya welcomed the minister’s announcement and said that the project will be a game changer for the entire region. He said that the project will benefit all those who commute to Bengaluru from nearby cities and towns, and also promote tourism and cultural exchange. He urged the central and state governments to work in coordination to implement the project at the earliest.
The regular commuters also expressed their happiness over the project and said that it will make their lives easier. They said that if the trains can cover the distance between Mysuru and Bengaluru within one-and-a-half hours, it will enable them to travel between these two cities instead of staying back in Bengaluru. They also hoped that the project will improve the frequency and punctuality of the trains.
Some of the challenges faced by the project are the acquisition of land, the clearance of environmental and forest issues, and the coordination among various agencies. The minister assured that the government is taking all the necessary steps to overcome these hurdles and complete the project in a time-bound manner.
