Chikkaballapur, nov 8, 2013, DHNS : The train services on the newly-laid Kadur-Chikmagalur route will begin on November 19, Union Railway Minister Mallikarjun Kharge has said.
“Railways has plans to implement projects worth Rs 23,000 crore in Karnataka. They will be executed in a phased manner if the State government provides necessary land and other facilities,” Kharge said here on Friday. He was speaking after inaugurating the broadugauge line between Kolar and Chikkaballapur.
The minister said several projects which had been in the backburner, were being taken up on a priority basis. He disclosed that as many as 14 projects mentioned in the Railway budget were yet to be implemented in the State.
Major investment
Kharge said laying a new rail line unlike plying buses, requires huge amount of investment. A locomotive (rail engine) costs Rs 10 crore while it requires Rs 80 lakh to Rs one crore to build a bogey.
A whopping 800 crore people travel by trains across the country per year, he added.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah claimed that his government has fulfilled 60 of the 169 promises made in the election manifesto.
Union ministers Veerappa Moily, K H Muniyappa, District in-charge Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao, legislators, Dr K Sudhakar, S N Subbareddy, Y A Narayanaswamy and others were present
