Question : RAILWAY LINES IN KARNATAKA

(a) whether the Government of Karnataka has proposed to the Railways for taking up new railway line projects on Mysore-Kushal Nagar, Hospet-Guntakal, Torangallu-Ranjitpura, Londa-Miraj-Pune, Hospet-Hubli-Gadag, Bangalore-Mysore-Hasan-Mangalore, Chikjajur-Bellary and Mysore-Kushal Nagar -Madikeri sections;

(b) if so, the details and the present status thereof, section- wise;

(c) whether the State Government has also offered the required land free of cost and agreed to share 50 per cent of the cost of the projects;

(d) if so, the details thereof; and

(e) the time by which a final decision is likely to be taken thereon by the Railways?

MINISTER OF THE STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS (SHRI ADHIR RANJAN CHOWDHURY)

(a) to (d) Government of Karnataka has requested for taking up work on Mysore-Kushalnagar new line only. For this, the State Government has consented to take up this work on 50:50 cost sharing basis with land free of cost. Assessment of viability of this line has been taken up.

Broad gauge line already exists for Hospet-Guntakal, Tornagallu-Ranjitpura, Londa-Miraj-Pune, Hospet-Hubli-Gadag, Bangalore-Mysore-Hassan-Mangalore and Chikjajur-Bellary sections.

Survey for Kushalnagar-Madikeri new line is not conducted as project section falls in forest area and requisite permission is not granted.

(e) No time frame for taking up work on Mysore-Kushalnagar has been fixed.