BANGALORE: With former chief minister D V Sadananda Gowda likely to get railways in the Narendra Modi Cabinet, Karnataka’s long tryst with the ministry continues.
Modi’s anticipated choice ensures that the railways ministry stays with Karnataka, as Sadananda Gowda succeeds Mallikarjun Kharge, railway minister in the UPA-2 government.
If everything goes as expected, Sadananda Gowda will be the eighth railway minister from the state, and will join a list that includes H C Dasappa, C M Poonacha, Kengal Hanumanthaiah, TMA Pai, C K Jaffer Sharief, K H Muniyappa (minister of state) and Mallikarjun Kharge. Another senior leader from Karnataka, George Fernandes, also held the portfolio, but as a member of the Lok Sabha from Muzaffarpur in Bihar.
With just 15.72 km of average railway length density, Karnataka is way behind the national average of 19.27 km. Sadananda Gowda has huge expectations to meet from his home state.
Speaking to Express, Prakash Mandoth, member of the Zonal Railway Users’ Consultative Committee, South-Western Railways, said Indian Railways needs advanced technology to raise safety levels and prevent accidents.
“The Railway Board should be revamped with rechnocrats and experts. A mechanism for time-bound completion of railway projects and new laws for speedy acquisition of lands for railway projects are immediate necessities,” Mandoth said. As for Karnataka, Mandoth listed out the projects to be executed without any delay. They are:
Suburban rail system for Bangalore.
Completion of Bangalore-Hassan line.
Double Bangalore-Mysore track.
Start Tumkur-Davangere line.
Launch work on Dharwad-Belgaum line.
Start new Gadag-Haveri line.
Launch work on Wadi-Gadag line.
Speed up Munirabad-Mehboobnagar work.
Vacate stay on Hubli-Ankola work.
Launch Gulbarga-Bidar line.
Happy DVS Got a Bigger Role to Play: Datty
Bangalore: Union Minister D V Sadananda Gowda’s wife Datty Sadananda said she is very happy that her husband is part of the Modi Cabinet. “I am happy that he got a Cabinet berth,” she told Express on Monday. On her expectations from the minister, Datty said: “I expect more development works to be taken up in the state. As an MP from Bangalore North LS constituency, I would like him to provide all basic amenities to the people.” This role will be definitely different from what he had done earlier. This time, it is a bigger role. Datty said she will not offer any suggestion to her husband, but will extend full cooperation.