Hello All,
I recently happened to read the Mangalore edition of Kannada Prabha (I guess) which said that it is the Hassan - Mangalore Railway Development Corporation / company (HMRDC) which is impeding the introduction of new passenger trains on the Bangalore - Mangalore route. The reason given was that the company seeks to regain the investments made, by allowing only goods trains to pass through the line ; the introduction of passenger train services would hamper the movement of the goods rakes. It has been more than 6 years if I remember correctly since the broad gauge line has been opened for traffic. Has not the company still made its profits by allowing at least 3 pairs of goods trains on a daily basis all these years, to use the line? Is not the company getting any share of revenue earned from the passenger revenue from the 2 passenger trains that use the line? I know that there are other mafias that are functioning as hands-in glove to prevent the movement of the trains, but what I wonder is, don't we have a reason to counter the official reason given by them?
The other funny reason given is the lack of a direct rail link between Bangalore and Hassan for the introduction of new trains. THERE IS NO STRAIGHT RAIL LINK EVEN BETWEEN BANGALORE AND HUBLI ; IT WOULD BE IN PLACE ONLY AFTER THE COMMISSIONING OF THE TUMKUR - CHITRADURGA - DAVANGERE RAILWAY LINE. Are there not trains running between Bangalore and Hubli? What is the problem in running them to Mangalore?
A few things I would like to know are:
Is railways the sole owner of the HMRDC? Does the GoK have a partnership in the company?
What are the revenues earned by the company so far? What was the profit they were looking for and what have they made so far?
What amount of money went into the gauge coversion project?
If GoK has a partnership, can it explore the option of shutting down the company, without undergoing losses? (The state government is already at a loss by sharing the cost of railway projects in the state, with zero returns from the railways)
Why have no initiatives for Roll-on-Roll-Off (RORO) similar to the one in Konkan railway been initiated though there is immense truck traffic between the 2 cities contributing to the damage of the highway every year?
If somebody files an RTI seeking all these queries, or even if they are presented to the Karnataka High Court like what was done to get a night train to Karwar, as a part of the campaign to avail our due rights to railway infrastructure in the state, I believe we would be able to achieve good results.
I look forward for your comments and suggestions regarding this topic. Please share any knowledge that you have about this.
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@Tejeswai, You can file it, it is easy!
Tejaswi,
Thanks for highlighting the issue and is an important topic to be discussed.
Regarding, RTIs, it is easy to file the RTIs. It can be done by anybody. All it takes is an application with set of questions and a Rs.10/- as the fee.
You can file it. Let me know if you need any help.
-Syed
You can file it. Let me know if you need any help.
Hi Syed,
Thank you very much! But I regret to inform that I live in UK and cannot do so. I read through the newspapers online to keep myself abreast of the developments in my hometown Bangalore and Karnataka. However, I would certainly love to do so once I am back in our city as it is one way of giving back something to our wonderful state and the city. In the meanwhile, if anyone else does it, I'd whole-heartedly support them.
Regards,
Tejaswi
Even fares are charged double for the Sakaleshpur - Subramanya
Good that Bangalore - Mangalore train issue was brought again. They r some issues from both small siding needed in Ghat Section and will from the Politics.
Any way elections r coming, so expect some new trains on this by politics
@ Tejaswi, Even Syed is located in US and we as team do the complet work.
Passenger Fares are charged two times for the Sakaleshpur - Subramanya to recover the cost. As KRIDE itself represnting GOK, its not considering interest of the Karnataka people.
HMRD can take decision allow more passenger trains and after all its GOK & GOI company. So this clearly shows their is no political will on this as the case with extending night Train to Karwar.
Even if the Gradient problem in running more trains, why can't they run train between Chitradurga - Chalakeri - Birur - Arsikeri - Hassan - Sakaleshpur as this segment, more number of trains can be run.
Added to the MP's from Hassan, DK, Chikmagalur & Chief Minister do not have any interest in solving the issues and only shouting at Center and also investing money in rail projects from GOK without any expectation from Railways in running services.
Good that Bangalore - Mangalore train issue was brought again
@ Sanjeev, I really did not know about people living abroad taking much interest in the developmental issues of our state. I am certainly happy to know that there are and would be pleased to be of any help.
If double fares are charged and considering that multiple goods trains are being run on a daily basis since the past 6-7 years, we need to know what the financial position of HMRDC is. If HMRDC has still not recovered the money it invested on the railway line (?????) then we can at least seek a confirmation as to when it would, consdering the projected revenues.
Regarding the siding issue, I remember Mr K.H Muniyappa talking about it way back in 2009. In the very first place, why did'nt HMRDC do so when it performed the gauge conversion? The purpose of constituting a special purpose company was to ensure the efficient implementation of the project. Why did'nt it do so? ( there may be issues I am not aware of but this is clearly what I think)
Is there any opposition from MoEF for constructing a siding, just like for the Hassan - Mangalore doubling project?
Despite being a more strategic location than any other city in Malabar, WHY HAS NOT BEEN A RAILWAY DIVISION FORMED IN MANGALORE AND INCLUDED UNDER SOUTH WESTERN RAILWAY ALL THESE YEARS? Because, creating a divison and leaving under Southern Railway is as useless as not having created one. That Palakkad division would cease to exist is a lame excuse, as Salem division was formed. Kerala is demanding a separate railway zone for the state. So how does it matter whether Palakkad remains a separate division or gets merged with Trivandrum divison? If need be, they can always create an Ernakulam divison.
I strongly suggest probing into the affairs of or at least seeking information about the revenue sources of HMRDC. If they have already retrieved their investment, then the company must be closed with immediate effect.
Mangalore - Chennai and Mangalore - Santragachi trains must be diverted to take the straight route via Bangalore.
Mangalore division must be created and included under South Western Railway zone.
Tejaswi
And for Bangalore too.....
Not merely Mangalore, we need to go the RTI way to get some work done for Bangalore as well. Some of the issues are:
1. Why has'nt the third terminus been constructed at Byappanahalli, though it is being talked of since 2007?
2. Why has'nt the commuter rail been sanctioned?
3. Why have'nt trains to places like Amritsar, Dehradun, Varanasi, Kalka, Bikaner, Jaisalmer, Jammu, Bhavnagar, Porbander etc. been introduced, from Bangalore, though the demand for these trains is at least a decade old? When Trivandrum, which is quarter the size of Bangalore has connectivity to these regions, why not the latter? Even running daily trains to these places would certainly not be a loss for the railways as the population of Bangalore is such.
4. Why is the MoEF delaying the process of taking a final call on Talaguppa - Honnavar, Hubli - Ankola, Bangalore - Satyamangala, Mysore - Madikeri - Mangalore railway lines, besides, the Hassan - Mangalore railway line doubling?
5. WHY DOES THE TRAIN TO SANTRAGACHI FROM MANGALORE, GO SOUTH, TO REACH KOLKATA WHICH IS ACTUALLY IN THE (NORTH) EAST??????????????????????
Tejaswi
Mangalore railway stations
Off late, I have been reading about the Southern railway planning to improve the facilities in the 2 railway stations of Mangalore. Howcome? Is it an outcome of Karnataka's demand for the creation of a railway division in Mangalore under the jurisdiction of the South Western Railway??? I wish the concerned people in the railway ministry consider the facts properly before making any move ; if that happens, the creation of Mangalore division would not really be a tough thing to accomplish.
Tejaswi