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South Western Railway - please wake up and listen to us!

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Written By admin123 - 24 March, 2008

BIAL Bangalore railways CRS SWR Analysis Transportation public transport Mobilicity rail problems Commuter rail

Thank you Business-standard for striking the right notes (See "Karnataka ignores ..."). So many of us see the potential of SW Railway's assets around our city and wish they woke up and listened to us.
"... experts feel that the Indian Railways’ network in and around the city can be utilised to ferry passengers at a fraction of the cost ..."
 
 
The point in the article that disappoints us most is:
 
 
"As to why state politicians and government officials are not interested, a source familiar with the decision-making process said, “Please realise where the incentive lies. Spend Rs 3,000 crore or more on your own — imagine the contracts that can be awarded — or give the Railways Rs 100 crore or maybe less to do the job.” "
 
 
Any reader here has any pull or contacts in SW Railway, could you please try get us more details on why SWR is not showing interest here? We are sure its a case of negligenence more than organized ignorance.

COMMENTS

blrsri,

mcadambi - 24 March, 2008 - 06:18

blrsri,

It is not necessarily the lack of will on part of SWR. Just that GoK does not seem to show much interest. SWR would have easily provided adequate intercity and intracity transport for Bengaluru had they been mandated and supported by GoK to do so.

its a good idea...but i hope

narayan82 - 24 March, 2008 - 04:05

its a good idea...but i hope they dont ignore the high speed rail link- its VITAL! I just feel the High speed rail link can be completed in 1 year itself and a lot lower cost on a BOOT or BOT basis

its also about mentality -

narayan82 - 24 March, 2008 - 09:27

its also about mentality - if SWR starts a local train with DMUs - which air fare paying passenger would hop onto this train? Especially after flying in a AC plane with hostesses, would someone opt for the SWR local train? I doubt it. They'd rather take the bus which takes 10 mins more. look at Chennai - half the people dont event know a station exists at the airport!...I did take the train once after my return flight from port blair, and it was EMPTY - i.e. the station. We need that high Speed rail link on the lines of Heathrow/Gatwick Expres...and we need it FAAAAAST!

mentality

tsubba - 24 March, 2008 - 13:22

mentality is in the mind. in mumbai all sorts of people take trains for atleast some part of their trip airport. being where it is it is not possible for most users to hire taxi or drive all the way upto the aiport. Not just govt. SWR too is not interested. they have been throwing the book for long. excuses like intra-city is not our mandate, we dont have infrastructure, people are not interested, state govt is not interested ... if the SWR starts rail service, will the palike, UDD etc issue a fatwa against using it? or will people not take it? is anybody in the BMTC or metro not willing to talk to them? yoor sanga Too bittidaara yaradaru? well state govt is already funding 6 railway projects in the state, when the rest of the states average 1 or 2. if we fund every single project then what is the rail bhavan for? especially when SWR is raking in profits. train mangalore they cannot do, train to mysore they cannot do, CRS they cannot do. then what can they do?

tracks not for fast trains?

blrsri - 24 March, 2008 - 05:11

IR says that the existing tracks are not for high speed rail, so what speed is it for?

There is some information that the travel time on the existing tracks to Devanahalli will be 50 min..any idea what is the travel distance and why it takes 50 min currently?

I would think its because of the Diesel engine trains which are the only option currently which gives these numbers..what about electrification of this?

Between, IR makes helpless statements that they do only inter city trips and not intra-city..doesnt Devanahalli qualify for Inter-city? So, cant they run trains on the similar lines of Mumbai Local..which though is for inter-city travel, caters to the intra-city needs!

 

All thats seen is the lack of will!

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