Mumbai, Oct. 29 -- The process to merge Konkan Railway with Indian Railways is expected to be finalised soon in the interest of regional development and passenger convenience, Karnataka MP Kota Srinivas Poojary said. He added that a request had been submitted to the state government for the fourth time and had received the concurrence of Chief Minister D. K. Shivakumar. Former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had also agreed to the proposal.
Poojary said a meeting had been sought with Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on October 27. Once the meeting is scheduled, he said, a request would be made to expedite the merger process and take it forward through discussions with the relevant authorities.
Speaking to journalists at Moodlakatte Railway Station in Kundapur, the MP said railway electrification was progressing across the country. He stressed the need to complete the pending electrification work in the coastal region quickly, citing its importance for improving railway operations and passenger services.
Poojary also said there appeared to be no proposal to change the existing track alignment for the Vande Bharat service. He said Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw had written to all three MPs from coastal Karnataka when the service was announced and had ordered its extension along the Mangaluru-Madgaon route.
The MP said the extension was not the result of lobbying or pressure from Mangaluru, Karwar or any particular group. He described concerns raised by some passenger committees about minor delays at certain stations during high-speed Vande Bharat operations as issues that could arise during such services.
A request has been submitted to the Union ministry to examine those concerns and take an appropriate decision, Poojary said. He added that the ministry would ultimately decide on the matter in accordance with the public interest.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Construction World.