COMMENTS

Here are the links

Fan Page

Personal Page

• thumb_up 40 Likes
• · login or register to post comments

This is indeed a great news to hear, and a great relief for regular commuters. Daily they had to travel in long distance trains without seats very uncomfortably.

A big thanks to Syed, IDS, Pranav, Sanjeev,Srinidhi and co praja bloggers who pushed it.

• thumb_up 36 Likes
• · login or register to post comments

SWR ays related file pending for clearance with Railway Board

Two years have passed since the Union Railway budget sanctioned a passenger train service between Bangalore and Nelamangala. But for residents and regular commuters on this route, the dream of seeing trains operate on this line has not materialised.

Although the Commissioner of Railway Safety approved the track in April 2012, officials with South Western Railway (SWR) explained that a related file on the Bangalore-Nelamangala train is pending for clearance with the Railway Board in New Delhi.

But Sanjeev D, a transport expert, placed the blame squarely on SWR, accusing it of not making any effort to open the new line, even when the State government is sharing the cost of the Bangalore-Hassan railway line (of which the Bangalore-Nelamangala line is a part).

“The Bangalore-Tumkur railway line branches out at Chikkabanavara and becomes the Bangalore-Hassan line, passing through Nelamangala, Kunigal and other places,” he said.

“Platform and station facilities have already been created in Nelamangala. With no trains being operated, however, the station has fallen into disuse.”

“The opening of the line will go a long way in addressing the commuting needs of hundreds of passengers, especially office-goers, who depend on BMTC buses and other transport means to reach their destinations in the City,” he said.

“Many passengers feel that operating trains on the stretch will go a long way in providing smoother and faster connectivity.”

Public criticism

Public exasperation over the lack of progress on the line has been mounting and has even led to a complaint being filed with the Railway Board, an official said.

A senior official at SWR’s head office in Hubli said lack of political will was also to blame for the delay. At a meeting held in the Vidhana Soudha in March 2012, the then Union Minister of State for Railways K H Muniyappa had promised to open the line within a month. “Several months went by and there was no positive action. Now, the Railway Board is said to have cited the code of conduct for the Assembly polls as the reason for the delay,” he said.

“The Railway Board can give its nod for a quiet opening of the line, keeping in view the interests of the people. SWR has been spending large sums of money for the maintenance of the track and station at Nelamangala. This project should not be neglected,” he said.

http://www.deccanherald.com/content/321640/two-years-bangalore-nelamangala-train.html

Let Railway Board open this line without any function similar to BIAL opening was done in 2008 May

• thumb_up 41 Likes
• · login or register to post comments

A big thank is also due to all our journalist friends for reporting news bytes about Namma Railu Proposals, happenings at various meetings at government corridors, Praja discussions, campaigns etc.

Thanks to Times Of India, Deccan Herald, DNA India, Citizens Matters, Deccan Chronicle, Business Standard, The New Indian Express and The Hindu, for regularly carrying columns and news about commuter rail service proposals.

A testimony of everybody working for the common good - Namma Railu.

• thumb_up 45 Likes
• · login or register to post comments

Infra woes driving IT firms out of City

The companies are looking at Hyderabad, Pune and Navi Mumbai, besides keeping their options to go for expansions in China. According to an estimate by the ORR Companies Association (ORRCA), they lose Rs 22,770 crore or $3.45 billion a year. The direct employment in these companies is around four lakh, including 2.5 lakh in companies on ORR and 1.5 lakh in Whitefield. Before breaking for Christmas holidays, ORRCA representatives met  Principal Secretary (IT) V Manjula and placed their concerns before her. They are yet to hear from the government.

http://www.deccanherald.com/content/522621/infra-woes-driving-firms-city.html

Delay by the State government in addressing infrastructure bottlenecks on the Outer Ring Road (ORR) and in Whitefield is forcing several IT and ITES companies to shelve their expansion plans here owing to huge productivity loss.

Brocade India is looking at Navi Mumbai and has already shelved its expansion plans here. “Travel time there is less and there is a good public transport,’’ he cited as reasons for shifting. Almost every company on the ORR has shelved expansion plans, he added. Sarv Sarvanan, Managing Director, EMC Corporation India, admitted that productivity issues are becoming visible globally. “Bengaluru is no more local. We are getting customers and visitors from all over the world. They all know how much time it takes to cover 1 km here,’’ he pointed out. 

“When we mention expansion, it is being questioned. They ask what the government is doing? Is it going to address the problems in real time?” Sarvanan explained, saying it was a challenge to get expansion approvals. 

EMC is looking at Hyderabad, Pune and even at China if things don’t improve. “We are all suffering from productivity loss.  It becomes a battle and requires more effort to convince higher ups,’’ said Ram Narayanan, General Manager, eBay Product Development Centre.
Company honchos said if the government fails to create a better business climate in the next six months, we have to look elsewhere, they said.

• thumb_up 30 Likes
• · login or register to post comments