Minister Shobha Karandlaje symbolically inaugurates Konkan railway electrification project in Udupi
Udupi, Jun 20: Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare Shobha Karandlaje on Monday symbolically inaugurated the electrification of the entire 740-km Konkan railway stretch at the Indrali railway station in Udupi at the same time when Prime Minister Narendra Modi dedicated the electrification project to the nation in Bengaluru.
Addressing the gathering, the minister said the electrification of the entire Konkan railway line is a dream come true for the people of the region.
"Konkan railway is the lifeline of India's coastal region and is the pride of the nation. It is a link between the north and the south. No one can mention about Konkan railway without remembering late leader George Fernandes who realised the dream for the coastal people," she said.
The minister said the total electrification of the line will help in saving Rs 380 crore annually to the Centre and also assist in saving Rs 180 crore towards fuel costs besides another Rs 120 crore towards maintenance as it is a pollution-free mode of transport with low fuel costs, she said.
Karandlaje said the Prime Minister's target is to develop the entire railway network on the same gauge. The country's railway network covers about 67,956 km, of which gauge conversion has been completed across 45,881 km with the remaining distance set to be completed by 2024.
The budgetary allocation for the project will be Rs 13,500 crore, she said, adding that development of road transport and railway network is important for promoting business and trade.
Konkan railway's Karwar regional manager B B Nikkam delivered the presidential address. Udupi city municipal council president Sumithra Nayak and Konkan railway PRO Sudha Krishnamurthy were also present.
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Another North Goa nightclub sealed; Kejriwal says corruption led to fire tragedy
Panaji (PTI): As part of a crackdown against tourist establishments violating laws and safety norms in the aftermath of the Arpora fire tragedy, Goa authorities on Saturday sealed a renowned club at Vagator and revoked the fire department NOC of another club.
Cafe CO2 Goa, located on a cliff overlooking the Arabian Sea at Vagator beach in North Goa, was sealed. The move came two days after Goya Club, also in Vagator, was shut down for alleged violations of rules.
Elsewhere, campaigning for local body polls, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal said the fire incident at Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub at Arpora, which claimed 25 lives on December 6, happened because the BJP government in the state was corrupt.
An inspection of Cafe CO2 Goa by a state government-appointed team revealed that the establishment, with a seating capacity of 250, did not possess a no-objection certificate (NOC) of the Fire and Emergency Services Department. The club, which sits atop Ozrant Cliff, also did not have structural stability, the team found.
The Fire and Emergency Services on Saturday also revoked the NOC issued to Diaz Pool Club and Bar at Anjuna as the fire extinguishers installed in the establishment were found to be inadequate, said divisional fire officer Shripad Gawas.
A notice was issued to Nitin Wadhwa, the partner of the club, he said in the order.
Campaigning at Chimbel village near Panaji in support of his party's Zilla Panchayat election candidate, Aam Aadmi Party leader Kejriwal said the nightclub fire at Arpora happened because of the "corruption of the Pramod Sawant-led state government."
"Why this fire incident happened? I read in the newspapers that the nightclub had no occupancy certificate, no building licence, no excise licence, no construction licence or trade licence. The entire club was illegal but still it was going on," he said.
"How could it go on? Couldn't Pramod Sawant or anyone else see it? I was told that hafta (bribe) was being paid," the former Delhi chief minister said.
A person can not work without bribing officials in the coastal state, Kejriwal said, alleging that officers, MLAs and even ministers are accepting bribes.
