‘Steps to reduce the duration of Bengaluru-Vijayapura train journey’, says M B Patil
Bengaluru: Minister for Infrastructure Development M B Patil said that the railway officials have been convinced to reduce the duration of Bangalore-Bagalkota-Vijayapura train journey from 14 hours to 10 hours. He was addressing the media at Khanija Bhavana, Bengaluru, on Friday after a meeting with the officials of Department of Infrastructure Development and the Southwestern Railway to discuss on the slow progress of 9 cost sharing railway projects in the state.
Stressing on how the reduced duration of journeys will benefit the people of Southwestern part of the state visiting Bengaluru, M B Patil said that the 660 km long Bengaluru-Vijayapura train journey took a tiresome 14 hours to complete because of unnecessary delays at Hubli and Gadag stations. “The changing of engines in Hubli takes 45 minutes and similar delays occur in Gadag”, he complained. He wanted a new route plan to be put in place where the trains travelled via Hubli (South) Bypass and Gadag Bypass to reduce the time taken.
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“Bangalore-Hubli-Bagalkota has a dual lane. The dual lane between Bagalkota-Vijayapura has been almost completed till Alamatti. It shall be over by October, this year. The 9 km long track between Alamatti-Vandal is still pending as there is a bridge work to be done here. This will be completed by August 2025. The electrification of this lane will be over in next two months”, Patil stated.
Stressing on the necessity of running special trains to Vijayapura and Bagalkota from Bengaluru, M B Patil said that the railway board would be requested to start ‘Vande Bharat Express’ train service between the cities, once the electrification works were over. He asked the officials to finish the 9 cost sharing railway projects in state faster as the delays were resulting in increased expenses. “Among the projects, Munirabad-Mehbub Nagar project must be done by March 2026, Tumkur-Rayadurga project by December 2027, Chikkamagaluru-Beluru project by 2026 and Bagalkota-Kudachi project should be done by 2027”, he told them.
“The land acquisition for Tumkur-Davangere project is all done. The state funds only the single lane of this work. It is really good that the railway department has already decided to lay a double lane. This must be completed by 2027. It will definitely ease the travel between Bagalkota and Vijayapura”, M B Patil added.
The Minister drew attention to a snag in the land acquisition process at Halakatte in the Gadag-Wadi lane where the RTC was owned by one but occupied by another. He assured that the district collector was informed about this and the issue would be resolved soon.
Secretary for the Department of Infrastructure Dr N Manjula, Managing Director of Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation Satheesh, Administrative Officer of Southwestern Railways Ramgopal, Chief Engineer of Railway Planning Cell Murthi Raju and Technical Advisor to Infrastructure Minister Aravinda Galagali were present.
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Conspiracy afoot to 'tarnish' image of Dharmasthala: Deputy CM DK Shivakumar
Bengaluru, Aug 14 (PTI): Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Thursday said there was a “conspiracy” to tarnish the image of Dharmasthala.
His comments come amid an ongoing investigation by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) into serious allegations of mass burials in the revered temple town in Dakshina Kannada district.
“A conspiracy is being hatched to destroy hundreds of years of legacy. It is not correct to tarnish someone just like that. It has all happened due to one complainant,” he said.
Noting that some Congress MLAs have called for action against those involved in the slander campaign at the legislature party meeting, he said, “ I have told them that action must be taken against those who are indulging in a slander campaign. The CM has also said that action must be taken against such people.”
“I have information on this case. Religious feelings should not be hurt in any manner. Culprits must be punished,” he told reporters, according to a release from his office.
Responding to a question, Shivakumar said the Congress party will not allow the image of any religious place to be tarnished.
“We see everyone equally when it comes to religion,” he added.
The SIT, formed by the state government, is probing claims of mass murder, rape, and mass burials in Dharmasthala over the past two decades.
The complainant, a former sanitation worker whose identity has not been revealed, alleged that between 1995 and 2014 he was forced to handle bodies—including women and minors—and that some showed signs of sexual assault. He has given a statement before a magistrate.
As part of the probe, the SIT has been conducting exhumations at multiple locations identified by the complainant-witness in the forested areas along the banks of the Netravathi River in Dharmasthala, where some skeletal remains have been found at two sites so far.
