Karnataka receives Rs 7,700 crore annually for railway development, says Joshi
Union Minister Pralhad Joshi highlighted increased railway funding and the launch of the Bengaluru-Mumbai Vande Bharat Sleeper service.
Union Minister Pralhad Joshi said on Sunday that Karnataka has been receiving between Rs 7,000 crore and Rs 8,000 crore every year for railway development. Speaking at the launch of the Bengaluru-Mumbai Vande Bharat Sleeper service, Joshi noted that the state received only Rs 700 crore for railway development in 2008, according to The Hawk.
Joshi stated that the railway budget allocation was around Rs 1,000 crore in 2014-15 and has increased under the present NDA government. He also mentioned that railway accidents declined from 134 to 16 following the introduction of safety measures like the Kavach railway protection system.
Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel H.D. Kumaraswamy said railway project implementation is a prominent part of Cabinet discussions. He expressed confidence that the proposed Bengaluru-Mangaluru Vande Bharat service and high-speed rail connectivity between Bengaluru and Pune would improve connectivity.
Minister of State for Jal Shakti and Railways V. Somanna said the third Vande Bharat Sleeper service was being dedicated to the nation. He added that more than 800 railway underbridges and flyovers have been completed in Karnataka.
Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya requested the Union government to look into establishing a high-speed rail corridor connecting Bengaluru and Mumbai through Hubballi to support northern Karnataka. He noted that the new Bengaluru-Mumbai Vande Bharat Sleeper train is fully booked for the next three weeks.