Rain impact: Mangaluru-Bengaluru train service suspended
Mangaluru, June 14: Following a landslide on the railway track between Subramanya and Siri Bagilu due to heavy rains in the district for the last couple ofdays, the train service between Bengaluru and Mangaluru was suspended on Thursday.
Places like Puttur, Sullia and Subramanya have been receiving heavy rains for the last two days. Because of this situation, landslide occurred on the track between Subramanya and Siri Bagilu and train movement on the track was hampered as the mud covered on the track.
Following emergency note from the department, the Karwar-Bengaluru-bound train which left from Mangaluru at 10-50 am stopped at Subramanya and returned to Mangaluru station. In the same way, the Mangaluru-bound train which started from Bengaluru also stopped at Sakaleshpura and returned to Bengaluru.
Railway authorities pressed into action to remove the mud from the track using earth movers. Senior railway officials are reviewing the situation.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Karnataka to introduce new affordable housing policy with EWS mandate for private developers
Bengaluru: Karnataka is drafting a new Affordable Housing Policy that may require private real estate developers to allocate a portion of their projects for economically weaker sections (EWS). This initiative is part of preliminary discussions aimed at addressing the state’s housing challenges.
The policy is being developed by the Indian Institute of Human Settlements (IIHS), an urban-focused research organization co-founded by Nandan Nilekani and Deepak Parekh. IIHS was chosen for this task without a tender process.
Housing Minister B.Z. Zameer Ahmed Khan's office has confirmed that discussions are underway to include a clause mandating private developers to reserve inventory for EWS buyers. At present, residential layouts are only required to allocate spaces for civic amenities such as parks and playgrounds.
The policy is a key component of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's agenda for affordable housing. It aims to streamline procedures in the housing sector while ensuring inter-departmental coordination. It will replace the 2016 housing policy and is expected to help Karnataka secure additional funding from union government housing schemes.
Funding challenges have hindered the state's housing programs, such as the Chief Minister’s One Lakh Housing Scheme, where the per-unit cost of ₹11.2 lakh places a significant financial burden on beneficiaries. With banks reluctant to lend, the government faces an estimated ₹3,700 crore shortfall.
The state is evaluating two affordable housing models proposed by the Boston Consulting Group (BCG). The first model, the Land Sharing Model, involves the government providing land to private developers, who would dedicate 30-50% of the land to affordable housing. Once the housing units are completed, they would be handed over to the government for distribution, while the developers would monetize the remaining land.
The second model, the Interest Subsidy Model, suggests offering a 3-5% subsidy on home loan interest, which would reduce monthly installments for beneficiaries from ₹8,700 to ₹5,500-6,800. This approach is expected to cost the government ₹60-170 crore annually.
