BENGALURU: In a major boost to rail infrastructure projects across Karnataka, the State government has permitted the South Western Railway (SWR) Zone to go ahead with all its doubling projects even though the land acquisition bottlenecks are not been cleared. Delays pertaining to acquisition of land parcels from the government have delayed infrastructure projects in the zone for many years.
Chief Administrative Officer, Constructions, SWR, KC Swami told The New Indian Express that the final approvals were given last week.
The doubling projects that stand to benefit immediately are the Hotgi-Kudgi-Gadag Line, Yelahanka-Penukonda Line, Hubballi-Chikkjajur Line, Arisikere-Tumukuru Line and Londa-Miraj Line. Railway Minister Piyush Goyal had written to former Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy in the first week of July asking the State to expedite land acquisition for railway projects as they were holding up crucial projects of the SWR Zone.
“Repeated talks pertaining to the land acquisition have been held between the Centre and the State over the years. In our talks with the Chief Secretary T M Vijay Bhaskar during the last four months, we explained that we were racing ahead with our Doubling projects and this crucial issue needs to be sorted out to speed up our projects. The approvals have been given for different parcels of land in phases and it has all been completed last week,” Swami said.
A total of 278.9 acres of non-forest land was the requirement of the Railways from the state government. “The crucial Yelahanka-Penukonda line in particular is waiting for land to go ahead with the project. These approvals will definitely speed up our doubling projects, “ Swami said.
According to another official, in the case of the Hotgi Line, only 14.65 acres of 123.83 acres have been handed to it so far while in the case of Hubballi-Chikkjajur Line 29 acres have been handed over out of 88.16 acres required. The Yelahanka-Penukonda Doubling Line has got only 2.35 acres handed over out of 4.61 acres needed.
The second stretch of a doubling project between Bengaluru and Hubballi, the Davangere-Amaravathi-Harihar portion running to 13 km is set to be commissioned this month, Swami added.
“The Commissioner of Rail Safety carried out an inspection on September 28 and authorisation of is expected any time. Works related to modification of yards at Davanagere, Amaravathi and Harihar needs to be completed. By October-end, the line will be ready for operations.