Apart from being developed as an industrial smart city and getting a food park, Tumkur may soon have a railway university to boost economic activity in the region.
Railway Minister D.V. Sadananda Gowda said here on Saturday that establishment of a railway university here was under serious consideration of the Union government.
At a press conference here, Mr. Gowda said the government would not allow encroachment of HMT Watches Ltd. land in Tumkur and would seriously consider establishing the university on it as demanded by the former Minister S. Shivanna.
He said four railway universities would be established in four places of the country, including at Vadodara, in four years.
ProjectsHe said Rs. 1,376.58 crore would be reserved for Karnataka to take up railway projects. As many as 18 new projects would be taken up at an estimated cost of Rs. 759 crore. He said railway connectivity to ports would be taken up. Work on long- pending projects such as Gadag–Wadi and Hubli–Ankola projects would be started.
The works on four new lines — Gabbur–Bellary, Shimoga–Shringeri–Mangalore, Talaguppa–Siddapura and Gadag–Harapanahalli — would be taken up this year, he added.
He said bullet train project was being taken up under public-private participation model and there would be foreign direct investment in the project, for which the Union Cabinet had given its approval.
Mr. Gowda said his Ministry had entered into a memorandum of understanding with China on high-speed rail corridors, upgrading of railway stations and setting up of railway universities.
Kannada languageMr. Gowda said priority would be accorded to Kannada language in the Railway Department. Speaking Kannada was being made compulsory for employees of the department working in Karnataka. He said employees were being taught Kannada for two days a week and the initiative had been started in Mangalore.
