The State government has requested Japan Higher Education, Science and Technology Minister Hakubun Shimomura to send a technical team to undertake a feasibility study for introducing a bullet train between Bangalore and Mysore, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said on Monday.
Addressing a press conference here after a week-long visit to China, the CM said: “The (Japanese) minister has responded positively (to our request) and the team will visit Bangalore. If the project becomes a reality, journey time from Bangalore to Mysore will be just 30 minutes. A high-speed train is required as Mysore is the fastest developing city in the state after Bangalore.”
He said he has requested Shimomura to extend technical support and make an investment in the project. The government is ready to give the required land.
“I travelled in an electromagnetic maglev train from Shanghai Central to Pudong International Airport covering a distance of 50 km in eight minutes. Such high-speed trains are common in China and Japan. To begin with, we are planning on Bangalore-Mysore section and will think of other destinations later,” he said.
He said 150 companies participated in the road show conducted by the state government at a hotel in Dalian city in China. They have been invited to participate in Global Investors Meet to be held in Bangalore in October next year.
The city of Shanghai has developed so much in the last 12 years. They have built a convention hall of international standards within 10 months. “Our government is also thinking of constructing a state-of-the-art convention hall near Devanahalli International Airport at a cost of `450-`500 crore. Though the project was initiated by the previous government, it did not take off because only a single tender was received. We are inviting tenders afresh and planning to construct it on a public-private partnership model,” he added.
He observed that it is not possible to push agriculture and infrastructure sectors without investment. “We need to make small and marginal farming remunerative by promoting poultry, fisheries, floriculture and other agri-related activities. Improving post-harvest technology would benefit small and marginal farmers to a great extent. Many investors are looking at Karnataka as a right place for investment,” he claimed. Siddaramaiah said invitations have been extended to several companies in China to invest in IT/BT sector, wind energy, micro irrigation, agriculture and infrastructure projects.
Finland Prime Minister Jyrki Katainen was invited to participate in Research and Development, Information and Communication Technology, he said.
Siddaramaiah speaks on China tour
‘Didn’t Miss Indian Food’
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said he did not miss desi food as there were a number of Indian food joints in the Chinese cities he visited. He said at Hotel Shangrila (in Dalian), Jafer, a cook, who previously worked in Bangalore and later in Shanghai, was very happy after hearing that a delegation led by him (CM) stayed at the hotel. “The cook took personal interest and served chicken items of our choice,” he said.
‘Suit Not Comfortable’
The CM admitted that he never felt comfortable in full suit during his visit to China. “I am more comfortable in panche (dhothi) and khadi jubba,” he observed. “They (Chinese) never spelt my name correctly despite telling them several times. They called my name as Sidda and Ramaiah in almost all the meetings. Even I too faced difficulty in pronouncing their names,” he said.
‘Garbage Issue Not Discussed’
Siddaramaiah said: “Why should we go to China to discuss garbage problems. It is our problem and we need to find solutions to it.”
‘No Coffee or Tea’
The CM said he did not drink tea or coffee from the day he landed till he left China. “I was drinking only water.”
On Roads
“There was not a single pothole on the roads in Dalian City. I was astonished to see the quality of work done by the engineers,” he said.