Union Minister of State for Railways V Somanna has announced that several pending railway development projects in coastal Karnataka will be accelerated. To facilitate this, a high-level meeting will be convened soon with Union Minister of Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw, who will participate in the discussion to expedite the projects.

The minister arrived in Mangaluru today to assess the progress of railway development projects. Speaking to reporters after visiting Mangaluru Central Station, he emphasized the stagnation of railway development in the region over the past 40 years and pledged action to revive it.

The minister highlighted that railway development in Mangaluru and Karwar sections, crucial for connecting Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Goa, and Maharashtra, has not met expectations. To address this, he announced plans to convene experts, people’s representatives, and officials within two months to devise a comprehensive blueprint.

During the visit, senior Railway Department officials briefed the minister on coastal development projects. They noted a lack of coordination between officials and people’s representatives, underscoring the need for improved collaboration.

“We are planning comprehensive development related to railway networking in Karnataka in general and the coast in particular,” Somanna added.

Unified zone for coastal railway development

In a coastal railway infrastructure review meeting, the minister proposed consolidating administration under a single zone to streamline development and services.

“The railway development on the coastal area had been sluggish and not many developmental works have been taken up in this region for the last 40 years and we will have to compensate for the time lost by giving the administration of the coastal railways to Mangaluru,” he indicated.

Earlier, Dakshina Kannada district suggested Mangaluru as a governing zone for the entire coast. MPs Captain Brijesh Chowta and Kota Srinivas Poojary advocated merging Konkan Railway Corporation with Indian Railways, citing benefits and public fare concerns.

In response, Somanna pledged a swift action plan from three Railway Zones in Dakshina Kannada within two weeks to unify jurisdiction under one zone. He emphasized resolving connectivity challenges in coastal Karnataka.