No rallying for
rail projects
Every year, come February and the Railway Budget, the Ministers, politicians and others predictably cry themselves hoarse over the “injustice meted out to the State yet again with no new projects or trains.” They crib about the lion’s share that neighbouring Kerala and Tamil Nadu get in the railway proposals.
It is interesting to see why the other States succeed where Karnataka loses out. Their politicians are seen to rise above party sentiments to lobby for their State. On December 20, when Vashistha Johri, General Manager of Southern Railways, Chennai, called a meeting of Members of Parliament from Kerala to discuss issues related to that State, 17 out of 39 MPs attended the meeting. He and two senior officials later held separate discussions with Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.
If you look at Karnataka, such political rallying for railway projects has been lacking. Last week, South Western Railway’s General Manager A.K. Gupta called a pre-budget zonal meeting of MPs, including 40 from Karnataka. Only five BJP MPs attended the meeting.
Such political apathy is appalling at a time when Bengaluru, with its traffic woes, begs a suburban rail system and those in other districts need improved connectivity within the State, says Sanjeev Dyamannavar of Praja-Raag. Every year, Karnataka contributes over ₹500 crore as its share of cost of projects apart from free land. The Chief Minister, State government and MPs, he says, should pro-actively pressurise the railways to complete ongoing projects and seek new trains and projects.
-------------------
Unusual demand
At a recent meeting in Shivamogga city to review implementation of railway works, K.P. Purshotham, member of the Zonal Railway Users’ Committee, and an ardent follower of B.S. Yeddyurappa ( in picture ), Shivamogga MP, placed a unusual demand. He asked for late arrival of the Bengaluru-Talaguppa express train (no. 16227) to Shivamogga city. Mr. Purshotham’s argument was that the train departs from Bengaluru at 11 p.m. and reaches Shivamogga city at 4.45 a.m. Passengers, who purchase tickets for sleeper class, did not benefit from the timing.
Arrival of the train to Shivamogga city by 6 a.m. will benefit passengers and ensure hassle-free sleep, he said, as others at the meeting burst into laughter.
Mr. Yeddyurappa, who chaired the meeting, was visibly upset with the demand and said that the railway authorities should focus on increasing the speed of trains and upgrade quality of services offered to passengers. The MP further told Mr. Purshotham that the railways focuses on quality of service and not “sleep well” programme.
-------------------
Friendly foes?
Strange is politics and stranger are the ways of politicians. On January 9, the police registered cases against BJP’s four-time MLA for Kagwad Bharamagouda alias Raju Kage ( in picture ) and members of his family, on the charge of attempt to murder, assault and kidnap of Congress worker Vivek Shetty in Ugar. All the 13 accused, including Mr. Kage, have been missing since the cases were registered.
One would think that this gives Congress ample ammunition against its rival party at a time when it struggles to regain its ground in the constituency. Much to the surprise of local Congress workers, the district and the State Congress units are stoically silent over a matter in which their party worker was seriously injured. Some wonder if it is a tacit understanding between the leaders of the two parties, who, in fact, are good friends outside politics. Also, it remains to be seen how Ramesh L. Jarkiholi, Minister for Small Scale Industries and district in-charge, would achieve his target of ensuring Congress victory in at least 12 of the 18 constituencies in Belagavi district in the next Assembly elections. At present, the Congress represents only six constituencies, BJP 10, and two others by Independents.
Anil Kumar Sastry
Veerendra P.M.
Vijaykumar Patil
