Redevelopment of Bantwal and Subrahmanya Road Railway stations under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme will be taken up shortly, said Dakshina Kannada Lok Sabha Member Nalin Kumar Kateel in Mangaluru on August 6.
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Speaking on the occasion of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s virtual foundation laying ceremony for redevelopment of Mangaluru Junction and 507 other railway stations as part of the scheme, Mr. Kateel said the Centre has already sanctioned ₹26.18 crore and ₹23.73 crore respectively for redevelopment of Bantwal and Subrahmanya Road Railway stations. Blue prints of redevelopment of these two stations have been prepared.
“The works will be taken up shortly,” he said. It’s a development phase initiated by Prime Minister, who has envisioned next 25 years as ‘Swarna Yuga’, he said.
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An artistic image of Bantwal Railway Station. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
As part of redevelopment of Mangaluru Junction railway station at a cost of ₹19.32 crore, there will be 6-meter wide pedestrian overbridge, an AC passenger waiting hall, welcome arch, bus bay, parking facility for two-wheelers and four-wheelers and presentation of station to reflect the culture and ethos of the region. This redevelopment work is likely to be completed in one year, he said.
Vande Bharat trains are the new attraction, Mr. Kateel said, and added that he has demanded extension of Thiruvananthapuram-Kasaragod VB Express Manglauru. “There will be Vande Bharat train between Mangaluru and Bengaluru following completion pending electrification work on the line,” he said.
Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnhaw has assured of Vande Bharat train between Mangaluru and Goa, he said.
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Over ₹2,000 crore
Railways related works amounting to ₹2,023.96 crore have been taken up in Dakshina Kannada. It incudes ₹69.23 crore for redevelopment of Mangaluru Junction, Bantwal and Subrahmanya Road Railway stations, ₹47.8 crore for five overpasses and ₹39.43 crore for nine underpasses. Works amounting to ₹1189 crore has been taken up by Konkan Railway, ₹540.16 crore worth works by Southern Railways Palghat division and ₹128.4 crore works by South Western Railways’ Mysuru Division.
In the last nine years, Mr. Kateel said, Central Government has sanctioned over ₹50,000 crore for development works of the region. “The National Highways are being widened and repaired because of grants from the Centre. The (Mangaluru) Smart City works are also being undertaken because of grants from the centre. These are the grants brought by the Member of Parliament for which development works are happening,” he said.
Mr. Kateel thanked activists, whose criticism, he said, has prompted him to push railway and other development works in the region.
Mangaluru City South MLA D. Vedavyas Kamath also spoke. Mangaluru City North MLA Y. Bharath Shetty and Sullia MLA Bhagirathi Murulya attended the programme.