Bengaluru, Rail Infrastructure Development Company (Karnataka) Ltd (K-RIDE) will soon get a technical expert as a full-time managing director, Union Minister of State for Railways and Jal Shakti V Somanna said on Monday.
Addressing a press conference here after a meeting with railway officials to discuss various developmental projects in the state, he reminded that when he was the infrastructure minister in Karnataka, K-Ride had no managing director. And he had talked to the Chief Secretary. To appoint a technically qualified person as MD within 15-20 days.
“We did not have any MD for KRIDE. Now, I have spoken to the Chief Secretary on phone and I have asked him to appoint a technically qualified person as MD.Railway authorities have sent a note to (Karnataka government) for the appointment. A technically qualified person will be appointed managing director within 15-20 days."
He reminded that when BJP was in power in Karnataka, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had laid the foundation stone of the suburban railway network.
He also mentioned nine railway projects pending for decades and ensured that these projects will be completed.
Some of these projects will be completed by December 2026 and others by December 2028, Somanna said.He said, "All these nine projects will be completed... We will do the doubling of railway tracks on a war footing. This is the vision of the Prime Minister and Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav."
He said, "I will ensure that all projects related to Karnataka are completed without bothering about small matters as imagined by some other parties."
The minister also said that all underpasses, level crossings, overbridges will be identified and completed.
Somanna assured that as Jal Shakti Minister, he will ensure that the Jal Jeevan Mission is taken forward.He said, "I am discussing with the Union Cabinet Minister about how to take it forward."
Responding to a question about the train collision in West Bengal, the minister said that he received information about the incident at 8.45 am and said that senior officials have been instructed to provide information about what happened there.
"We are saddened by this incident. I have instructed my senior officers to tell us what happened there. They have gone there (to the incident site). We have instructed them to submit their report immediately.I will go to Rail Bhawan (Delhi) and have a meeting with the Railway Board and get the details, I have asked the officials to find out the reasons behind the incident which they will provide to me."
The minister conducted a thorough review of the ongoing development projects under the jurisdiction of South Western Railways, South Western Railways said in a statement. The discussions focused on 14 important projects, including nine new lines and five doubling projects.
These projects involve a total of 1,264 km of new lines and 707 km of doubling, of which 289 km of new lines and 502 km of doubling lines have already been successfully commissioned.The five double-line projects include – Hotgi-Kudgi-Gadag, Yesvantpur-Channasandra, Baiyyapanahalli-Hosur, Bangalore-Whitefield and Hospet-Hubli-Londa-Tinaighat-Vasco da Gama.
The nine new line projects are – Tumkur-Raidurga via Kalyandurga, Tumkur-Chitradurga-Davanagere, Ginigera-Raichur, Bagalkot-Kudachi, Gadag-Wadi, Kadur-Chikmagalur, Shimoga-Shikaripura-Ranebennur, Belgaum-Dharwad via Kittur, Hassan-Belur.
He stressed the importance of collaboration between railway authorities and various stakeholders including district administration and K-Ride to expedite railway development projects. He advised the Railway authorities to expedite land acquisition for the remaining works and assured that all the pending projects will be completed systematically in the coming years.
The minister also highlighted the government's plan to eliminate all level crossings to enhance safety and increase the speed of trains. He advised railway officials to review the level crossings around Bengaluru and take necessary action, the statement said.
Addressing a press conference here after a meeting with railway officials to discuss various developmental projects in the state, he reminded that when he was the infrastructure minister in Karnataka, K-Ride had no managing director. And he had talked to the Chief Secretary. To appoint a technically qualified person as MD within 15-20 days.
“We did not have any MD for KRIDE. Now, I have spoken to the Chief Secretary on phone and I have asked him to appoint a technically qualified person as MD.Railway authorities have sent a note to (Karnataka government) for the appointment. A technically qualified person will be appointed managing director within 15-20 days."
He reminded that when BJP was in power in Karnataka, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had laid the foundation stone of the suburban railway network.
He also mentioned nine railway projects pending for decades and ensured that these projects will be completed.
Some of these projects will be completed by December 2026 and others by December 2028, Somanna said.He said, "All these nine projects will be completed... We will do the doubling of railway tracks on a war footing. This is the vision of the Prime Minister and Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav."
He said, "I will ensure that all projects related to Karnataka are completed without bothering about small matters as imagined by some other parties."
The minister also said that all underpasses, level crossings, overbridges will be identified and completed.
Somanna assured that as Jal Shakti Minister, he will ensure that the Jal Jeevan Mission is taken forward.He said, "I am discussing with the Union Cabinet Minister about how to take it forward."
Responding to a question about the train collision in West Bengal, the minister said that he received information about the incident at 8.45 am and said that senior officials have been instructed to provide information about what happened there.
"We are saddened by this incident. I have instructed my senior officers to tell us what happened there. They have gone there (to the incident site). We have instructed them to submit their report immediately.I will go to Rail Bhawan (Delhi) and have a meeting with the Railway Board and get the details, I have asked the officials to find out the reasons behind the incident which they will provide to me."
The minister conducted a thorough review of the ongoing development projects under the jurisdiction of South Western Railways, South Western Railways said in a statement. The discussions focused on 14 important projects, including nine new lines and five doubling projects.
These projects involve a total of 1,264 km of new lines and 707 km of doubling, of which 289 km of new lines and 502 km of doubling lines have already been successfully commissioned.The five double-line projects include – Hotgi-Kudgi-Gadag, Yesvantpur-Channasandra, Baiyyapanahalli-Hosur, Bangalore-Whitefield and Hospet-Hubli-Londa-Tinaighat-Vasco da Gama.
The nine new line projects are – Tumkur-Raidurga via Kalyandurga, Tumkur-Chitradurga-Davanagere, Ginigera-Raichur, Bagalkot-Kudachi, Gadag-Wadi, Kadur-Chikmagalur, Shimoga-Shikaripura-Ranebennur, Belgaum-Dharwad via Kittur, Hassan-Belur.
He stressed the importance of collaboration between railway authorities and various stakeholders including district administration and K-Ride to expedite railway development projects. He advised the Railway authorities to expedite land acquisition for the remaining works and assured that all the pending projects will be completed systematically in the coming years.
The minister also highlighted the government's plan to eliminate all level crossings to enhance safety and increase the speed of trains. He advised railway officials to review the level crossings around Bengaluru and take necessary action, the statement said.
