Chief minister DV Sadananda Gowda has made a strong plea to the Centre to implement Commuter Rail System (CRS) for the Bangalore metropolitan region to improve suburban commuting services in the city.
Gowda has written a letter to Union railway minister Dinesh Trivedi, recalling the discussions he had with Trivedi during the latter’s visit to Bangalore to inaugurate the Metro’s services.
“The data relating to the metropolitan region of Bangalore justifies starting of commuter rail.
The ministry of railways is requested to announce starting of commuter rail in the railway budget 2012-13,” he said.
“The CRS will disperse the habitations from the densely populated city area to destinations outside Bangalore city, viz Anekal, Malur, Devanahalli, Tumkur, Nelamangala and Bidadi. The CRS will be seamlessly integrated with other mass rapid transport systems like Metro, mono-rail, high-speed rail and bus rapid transit system. This will help in bringing people to the central business district in 60 minutes to 90 minutes. The lines could be totally new or railways could spare corridors if the same is available on a long-term basis,” Gowda has written in the letter.
The chief minister has urged the railway minister to take up the work immediately on
Bangalore-Kengeri-Kanakapura-Chamarajanagara project, which has already been sanctioned and surveyed.
Also, the letter seeks to remind Trivedi of his assurance to start integrated rail coach factory in Kolar.
“The deputy commissioner of Kolar has identified 1,000 acres of land at Eldur and Edarur village of Srinivasapur taluk and Jaderi village of Kolar taluk. Once official request is received from ministry of railways, further land acquisition proceedings will start,” the letter says.
