CM, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw review progress of rail projects

Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], November 19 (ANI): Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai and Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Saturday reviewed nine new railway projects which have been taken up on 50:50 ratios with the Government of India.
They also decided to constitute a committee of senior officials of the railways and Karnataka government for the speedy implementation of ongoing rail projects in the state with better coordination and within the stipulated time.
The Chief Minister instructed officials concerned to give priority to the acquisition of land required for railway projects.
"The land acquisition must be hastened for those projects which are in great demand and urgency in its completion," the CM said.
The officials said nine rail projects required 15,000 acres and the acquisition process has been completed for 9,000 acres. Another 6,000 acres of land need to be acquired.
The Chief Minister opined that it is possible for the time-bound completion of all the pending rail projects if both Railway Department and State governments release their share of money in time.
"Speedy implementation of railway projects is their priority for which the officials of state government and railways must work with better coordination. He also appreciated the Government of Karnataka for its land acquisition process.
Both Bommai and Vaishnav reviewed the progress of Gadag-Wadi, Rayadurg-Tumkur, Ginigera-Raichur, Tumkur-Chitradurga-Davangere, Bagalkot-Kudachi, Kadur-Chikmagalur-Belur, Hassan-Belur, Shivamogga, Ranebennur, Marikuppam-Kuppam, Belgaum-Dharwad and other new railway line projects," the Railway Minister said.
The duo also discussed the Bengaluru Suburban Railway line and the electrification of the railway line.
The Union Minister asked KPTCL to take up the necessary works following the electrification of this railway line as the Railways plan to operate the Vande Bharat Express Train on the Hubballi-Bengaluru line by March 2023.
Union Coal, Mining and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi, MP S Muniswamy, Additional Chief Secretary (Finance) and Development Commissioner ISN Prasad, Chief Minister's Principal Secretary N Manjunath Prasad, ACS (Infrastructure development) Gaurav Gupta and South Western Railway General Manager Sanjiv Kishore and others were present. (ANI)