Title - Govt should release funds to speed up rail projects: Kharge

Bangalore: M. Mallikarjuna Kharge, Union railway minister urged the state government to immediately release its share of funds for the railway projects including Bangalore- Hassan railway lines and ensure quick land acquisition process to complete the ongoing projects.He was speaking after flagging off the Yeshwantpur-Mangalore Weekly Express in Bangalore, Kharge said that only Rs 50 crore has been released by the State government, while the Railways released Rs 320 crore. “We have earmarked over Rs. 700 crore for projects in Karnataka and the funding should be shared equally by the State government. In the next six months, the government has to release the balance Rs 650 crore at the rate of Rs 109 crore a month, but it is lagging behind,” he said.The Yeshwantpur-Mangalore Weekly Express will leave Yeshwanthpur at 11.55 p.m. on Sundays and arrive at Mangalore at 5.40 p.m. on Mondays. It will start from Mangalore at 8 pm on Mondays to reach Yeshwantpur at 1.30 pm on Tuesdays. The train will stop at Banaswadi, Krishnarajapura, Bangarpet, Kuppam, Salem, Erode, Tirupur, Coimbatore, Palakkad, Shoranur, Tirur, Kozhikode, Vadakkara, Thalassery, Kannur, Payyanur and Kasargod. It will have one two-tier air-conditioned coach, one three-tier air-conditioned coach, seven second class sleeper coaches, six second class coaches and two second class sitting-cum-luggage vans.