Title - Arasalu residents renew demand for Shimoga-Talaguppa passenger train

A delegation comprising residents of Arasalu and surrounding villages met Vinod Kumar, Divisional Manager of South West Railways, here on Saturday and submitted a memorandum to him to introduce Shimoga-Talaguppa passenger train at the earliest.Kallur Megharaj, managing trustee of Shantaveri Gopala Gowda Samajawadi Adhyayana Trust, said that in the Union Railway budget of 2013-14 it was announced that a passenger train between Shimoga and Talaguppa would be introduced. It was unfortunate that this train service was yet to commence, he said.While inaugurating the Shimoga-Talaguppa broadgauge railway line in August 2012, K.H. Muniyappa, who was Union Minister of State for Railway then, had assured that he would direct Railway officials to ensure that Talaguppa-Bangalore train stopped at Kotegangur, Ripponpet, Arasalu stations en route Shimoga to Talaguppa. The promise was not fulfilled, he said.

He urged for an addition of two more coaches to Talaguppa-Bangalore train.

As Honnali-Byndoor road was located near Arasalu railway station, passengers from Honnali, Shikaripur, Hosanagar, and Kundapur taluks would be benefited if the train stopped here.

Repair

He also urged the Department of Railway to repair the building of Arasalu railway station that has become dilapidated. Ex-MLC G. Madappa, President of Anna Hazare Horata Samiti K.V. Vasanth Kumar, social activists Sarjashankar Haralimath, T.R. Krishnappa, and residents of Arasalu S.G. Ranganath, Rajanna were a part of the delegation.