Title - ‘Bangalore-Chennai bullet train should be extended to Mysore'

The move will improve Mysore's connectivity and spur growth: Chief Minister

The high-speed ‘bullet train' service proposed between Chennai and Bangalore will be extended up to Mysore to improve connectivity with Mysore and spur industrial growth in the region.

This was announced by Chief Minister D.V. Sadananda Gowda after inaugurating the Mysore Region Business Development Summit here on Friday.

The preliminary work pertaining to the project, including the design, would be finalised in three months. The State would make a formal submission on the project to the Union government and work would be taken up on a war-footing, Mr. Gowda said.

“I have discussed the issue with Union Minister for Urban Development Kamal Nath and he has responded favourably. The project report will be submitted to the Centre and it is expected to give its approval within a month of submitting the report while the actual work on the project will commence by December,” Mr. Gowda said.

Dispersing growth

He said the State government was committed to invigorating the economic and investment climate in tier-II cities and a draft master plan for the development of Mysore was ready. Emphasis on tier-II cities stemmed from the oversaturation of Bangalore and the imperatives of dispersing economic growth and development across the State, the Chief Minister said.

Delving at length on infrastructure problems, Mr. Gowda said road connectivity from Mysore to Mangalore, four-lane highway connecting Mysore and Nanjangud, and improvement of the Hassan-Mangalore highway were in various stages of completion, while a 40-km underground tunnel had been proposed along the Hassan-Mangalore route to overcome frequent landslips in the ghat sections of Sakleshpur.

Noting the potential in Mysore and surrounding districts for tourism, manufacturing and agro-based industries, Mr. Gowda also announced that a film city had been approved here while a world-class convention centre would be constructed for which 35.2 acres had been identified on the Mysore-T. Narsipur road.

He said the government had identified Mysore for health tourism. A pharmaceutical park and an ayurveda city were in the offing, while trade licence fee would be reduced by 50 per cent.

Mr. Gowda said the Mysore division contributed 12 per cent to the State's gross domestic product (GDP) and the government was aiming to increase it to 20 per cent. For this, he said, industrial development was imperative.

Extending an invitation to investors and entrepreneurs to participate in the global investors' meet on June 7 and 8 in Bangalore, the Chief Minister said the government was committed to creating a vibrant investment climate to promote industrialisation of Karnataka.

J.R. Bangera, president, Federation of Karnataka Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FKCCI), drew attention to the escalating price of land in the State and said it was an impediment for new investors.

So, the government must approve a proposal seeking land allotment on rent or lease basis for 33 years to spur growth, he suggested.