Railway activists of the coast seek more budgetary outlay

Udupi: The upcoming interim budget, scheduled for February 1, is being looked up by the railway users with eyes of anticipation for better services and new lines. One of the regions that is expecting a big boost is the coast of Karnataka and hinterland.

Historical neglect of the coastal district Udupi’s demands by successive governments, citing reasons such as forest land challenges, financial infeasibility, and the absence of alternative railway lines, has compelled the local population to heavily rely on bus routes for travel to the state capital.

Railway activists, highlighted the influence of private bus operators’ lobbying and the lack of determination among people’s representatives, contributing to the denial of alternative railway lines like Nandikoor-Karkala-Moodbidri-Belthangady-Dharmasthala-Subrahmanya Road or Byndoor-Hebri-Karkala-Moodbidri-Belthangady-Dharmasthala-Subrahmanya Road. The proposal for the line connecting to Bengaluru dates back to 2010.

Initiated by the then Union Minister of Law and Justice, M Veerappa Moily, the Railway Minister, Mamata Banerjee, included it in her 2010 budget for the survey. However, due to environmental concerns, the survey was not conducted at that time. Recently, residents and railway activists from Byndoor, Hebri, and Moodbidri renewed their demand for this alternative railway line ahead of the budget.

In response to queries about the feasibility check, the South Western Railway, in its RTI reply, stated that the survey has not been conducted due to a lack of permission from the forest department. This response has dampened the spirits of railway passengers, with activists criticising the norm of rejecting surveys based on forest department hurdles, questioning why such obstacles are unique to the coastal region of Karnataka.

Ganesh Puthran, president of the Kundapur railway passengers’ welfare association, emphasised that the realisation of the Byndoor-Hebri-Karkala-Moodbidri-Belthangady-Dharmasthala-Subrahmanya Road line would create a religious tourism circuit.

This circuit would facilitate easy access to religious destinations such as Kollur Mookambika Temple, Jain Basadis in Karkala and Moodbidri, Sri Manjunatha Swamy Temple, and Dharmasthala for devotees.

Dinesh, a railway activist, urged for at least a survey of the Nandikur-Karkala-Subrahmanya Road railway line, asserting that it could save more than two hours in reaching Bengaluru

from Udupi.