Raise Shivajinagar metro station naming issue with Centre: Siddaramaiah tells Maharashtra CM
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday asked his Maharashtra counterpart Devendra Fadnavis to take up with the central government any objections regarding the proposal to name the upcoming metro station near Shivajinagar in the city after St Mary.
The chief minister was responding to Fadnavis’ objection to the Karnataka government’s plan, which he termed “an insult to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.”
“Let him (Fadnavis) speak to the Government of India. We will send (recommendation on naming) to them (Centre); let him speak to them,” Siddaramaiah told reporters here in response to a question.
Siddaramaiah’s positive response earlier this month to the proposal has elicited objections from some sections, including the opposition BJP, which has termed the move as appeasement.
Participating in the inauguration of the annual feast at St Mary’s Basilica on September 8, Siddaramaiah said his government would recommend the naming to the Centre. The metro station is part of the under-construction Pink Line in the city.
Reacting to Fadnavis’ remarks, state Home Minister G Parameshwara on Friday asked, “Why is Fadnavis interested in Karnataka and Bengaluru’s matter all of a sudden? I don’t know.”
He added, “Decision regarding naming metro stations will be taken by the in-charge of Bengaluru development and Deputy Chief Minister (DK Shivakumar), as it is a matter related to Bengaluru.”
Accusing the Congress government of “appeasement politics,” Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council Chalavadi Narayanaswamy on Thursday said the naming should not be based on religion and that his party would oppose it.
“Will they remove the name Shivajinagar? They should not go beyond the limits to please someone. Appeasement has become the first choice of the Congress party. Because of appeasement, the party has gone to the dogs now; still, they are doing appeasement politics. It will not work. We will not allow it,” the BJP leader told reporters.
There have also been objections on social media to the naming on religious grounds, with some demanding that metro stations should be named after the locality or notable personalities.
Some have suggested naming the station after the late Kannada actor Shankar Nag, who is credited with envisioning Bengaluru’s rapid transit system in the 1980s.
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Railways: FM Sitharaman allocates Rs 2.77 lakh crore for capital expenditure
New Delhi (PTI): Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday allocated Rs 2,77,830 crore to the Ministry of Railways for capital expenditure in the financial year 2026–27.
The Budget allocation includes the construction of new lines and the purchase of locomotives, wagons, and coaches, among other works.
The ministry had received Rs 2,52,000 crore in FY 2025–26. The current allocation for the upcoming financial year is 10.25 per cent higher, making it the highest ever. Besides, the ministry will get Rs 15,000 crore from Extra Budgetary Resources, the document showed.
According to the Budget document, the railways’ total earnings are projected at Rs 3,85,733.33 crore, while expenditure is estimated at Rs 3,82,186.01 crore, resulting in a surplus of Rs 3,547.32 crore at the end of the financial year.
"Since the railways' earnings are too meagre to fund asset creation and support new works, it receives funds from the government. Accordingly, the ministry has been allocated Rs 2,77,830 crore to undertake activities such as laying new lines, converting narrow gauge to broad gauge, and constructing double lines on single-line routes," a railway official said.
The Budget document has earmarked funds from the Rs 2,77,830 crore allocation for various construction and asset creation projects. These include Rs 36,721.55 crore for new lines, Rs 4,600 crore for gauge conversion, Rs 37,750 crore for doubling, Rs 52,108.73 crore for rolling stock (locomotives, wagons, etc.), and Rs 7,500 crore for signalling and telecom, among others.
The allocation under the signalling and telecom head is significant as the automatic train protection system, Kavach, falls under this department. The ministry has laid strong emphasis on expanding Kavach coverage across the rail network.
The document also presents the actual earnings and expenditure of the railways in 2024–25. During the year, railways earned Rs 3,35,757.09 crore and spent Rs 3,32,440.64 crore, recording a surplus of Rs 3,316.45 crore. The budgetary allocation for the year stood at Rs 2,51,946.56 crore.
"As far as FY 2025–26 is concerned, the actual figures for earnings and expenditure will be available only after the financial year ends,” an official said, adding that largely earnings and expenses are on expected lines with minor changes.
Out of the total expenditures of the railways, the biggest share goes on paying pensions to its employees.
According to Budget documents, expenditure on pensions was Rs 58844.07 crore in 2024-25, which is expected to rise to Rs 74500 crore in 2026-27.
