Minister Patil discusses railway projects for Karnataka with Ashwini Vaishnaw
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Infrastructure Development Minister M B Patil on Saturday submitted representations to Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, seeking approval for a Vande Bharat Sleeper Express train from Bengaluru to Vijayapura, a high-speed rail corridor between Bengaluru and Mumbai, and a daily special train service on the Bengaluru-Vijayapura route.
After launching Zetwerk Electronics' Manufacturing Excellence facility in the Hi-Tech Hardware Park at Bagalur here, the Minister met Vaishnaw and handed over the representations, Patil's office said in a release.
The Railway Minister assured him that the proposals would be examined positively, it said.
Describing Bengaluru as the country's technology capital and Mumbai as its financial capital, Patil said it was essential to connect the two cities through an efficient and modern transport system.
He urged that the high-speed rail corridor announced between Mumbai and Pune be extended up to Bengaluru. "Vaishnaw responded positively to this request as well," he said.
The Minister pointed out that the distance between Bengaluru and Vijayapura is around 530 km and that the current train journey takes nearly 15 to 16 hours.
He said this travel time should be reduced to about 10 hours, he said, adding that to achieve this, he suggested limiting halts between Bengaluru and Hubballi and operating trains via the Hubballi and Gadag bypasses.
He also sought the introduction of a Vande Bharat Express service on this route.
Patil further requested the introduction of a daily special train service between Bengaluru and Vijayapura.
In his representation, he stated that all three proposed services would bring significant social, industrial and economic benefits to several districts of central and north Karnataka.
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Family of injured driver in murder of Suvendu's aide seeks exemplary punishment
Kolkata (PTI): The family of Buddhabeb Bera, the driver injured in the shooting that killed BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari's close aide Chandranath Rath, demanded exemplary punishment for those responsible and urged the new government to ensure such incidents do not happen in West Bengal.
Rath was shot dead in Madhyamgram near Kolkata on Wednesday night, triggering a political storm in the state. Bera, who was driving the vehicle at the time of the attack, sustained gunshot wounds and is currently undergoing treatment at a private hospital.
Family members said they learned about the incident through television and immediately left for Kolkata.
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"We came to know from TV reports that my nephew had been shot. We still do not know who carried out the attack or why it happened," Buddhabeb's uncle Biswajit Bera said.
"Our only wish now is that he recovers and returns home safely," he added.
Buddhabeb, 25, hails from Majnaberia village in the Chandipur police station area in Purba Medinipur district.
According to family members, he mostly stays in Kolkata for work and visits home occasionally during weekends.
Besides his parents, his younger brother, sister-in-law and several relatives have also travelled to Kolkata following the incident.
Demanding strict action against the perpetrators, the uncle said, "We want the government to conduct a proper investigation and identify those directly involved in the crime. They should be given exemplary punishment so that such incidents do not happen again in West Bengal and no other family has to go through this grief."
A neighbour, Ranjana Ghorai, also sought stringent punishment for those behind the attack.
"In our neighbourhood, we call him Sona. We want exemplary punishment for the people responsible for this incident," she said.
Rath's family members have demanded life imprisonment for the accused, while Adhikari has called for capital punishment for those involved in the killing.
