Hurray!! State Government signed a MoU with Railways for Bengaluru Suburban Rail!

Prajagale,

Hearty Congratulations to all of you on this happy Occasion. Finally after 9 years, today Jan 16, 2017, state government has signed the MoU with Indian Railways, which lays the foundation for implementing the 'Namma Railu' Project for running Suburban Train services that connects Bengaluru with surrounding Towns. Pray and wish that from now onward, Namma Railu projects keep chugging on its journey without much delays and obstacles.

I am out of words to describe this moment. Therefore I am going to post what my Namma Railu Comrade Sathya Sankaran said on facebook.

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By Sathya Sanakaran,

So this is the beginning of the commuter rail journey, despite all the initial scepticism from all quarters that this is too complex to move. All that Praja RAAG, CfB and many others from the citizens side have done is start the ball, now to make it roll properly needs continued citizen engagement.
Would like to take this opportunity to thank Directorate of Urban Land Transport for entertaining the Praja proposal many moons ago and working with us to move it within the corridors with what they could. It reminds us to push for an empowered UMTA to continue the good work.

Praja RAAG realised after a few years that this needed political power to move. Thanks for Tumkur MP Basavaraj who was the first politician to push this from his town. Then Rajeev Gowda who put his weight behind it and got it more visibility within the corridors. AnanthKumar who relentlessly stayed supporting it. P.C.Mohan who put money where the mouth is and got Hoody station done and stood behind commuter rail for his constituency and beyond.

The tireless efforts of Praja RAAG for 9 years led by Sanjeev Dyamannavar and the subsequent push by Citizens for Bengaluru has got this here. Hope this can be done in a proper manner to enable a good modal split to this mode and change the way people move.

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Last but not the least, our gratitude goes to each on of you, citizen groups and media friends who played a key sterling role in keeping this campaign alive in all these years. Thank you all.