Title - CM promises free land for rail projects

Chief Minister  has announced that the state government will provide land free of cost for any railway project in the state.

Inaugurating the new railway station here on Saturday, Shettar said that the state is already sharing 50 per cent of the cost of railway projects and extending its support to development work of the railways. “Karnataka is the only state that decided to bear 50 per cent of the cost of railway projects and now many states are following suit,” he remarked.

He recalled that the state government had donated 100 acres of land to railways to construct goods shed at Navalur during his tenure as the revenue minister.

He thanked Minister of State for Railways K H Muniyappa for joining hands for developmental issues. “As of now state government has spent Rs 500 crore for railway projects,” he added.

Meanwhile, he urged Muniyappa take up the projects like new line construction between Dharwad and Kittur and Belgaum, Gulbarga and Bidar and Munirabad-Gadwal. “Another railway divisional office should be opened in Gulbarga. Also, Hubli-Ankola line construction should be taken up on a priority basis,” he said.

MP Pralhad Joshi repeated his demand of running Karnataka Sampark Kranti Express via Tumkur, Hubli on a daily basis.

He also urged the resumption of train services between Harihar and Kottur. Pro-Kannada activist Patil Puttappa demanded a direct train between Hubli and Gulbarga and priority for Kannadigas in terms of railway employment.