Develop Surathkal as a terminal station to decongest Mangaluru Central and Junction stations: MLA

Besides reducing pressure on stations in Mangaluru, the terminal at Surathkal would cater to the population residing around Surathkal that has many industrial and educational establishments, the MLA said. Dr. Shetty said the MP too is supportive of this argument.

Mangaluru City North MLA Y Bharath Shetty urged the Railway Ministry to develop Surathkal Railway Station as a terminal station to offer enhanced railway connectivity in Mangaluru region by reducing pressure on Mangaluru Central and Mangaluru Junction railway stations.

On January 30, he laid the foundation stone for development work at Surathkal Railway Station under Konkan Railway Corporation Limited (KRCL), along with Dakshina Kannada MP Captain Brijesh Chowta. Dr. Shetty said he had long been demanding improvement of passenger amenities at Surathkal station, and now the same was being realised.

Besides reducing pressure on stations in Mangaluru, the terminal at Surathkal would cater to the population residing around Surathkal that has many industrial and educational establishments, the MLA said. Dr. Shetty said the MP too is supportive of this argument.

Capt. Chowta said as KRCL could not take up development work following poor financial health. People in the coastal region want the corporation to merge with the Indian Railways for seamless development in the region.

While the Railway Ministry is in favour of the merger after MLAs and MPs of the coastal region supported people’s voice, the government of Karnataka needs to relinquish its stake in the corporation in favour of Indian Railways to take forward the merger initiative. KRCL, an initiative of visionary late George Fernandes, has transformed the travel experience in Karnataka coast. However, the corporation did not keep pace with the Indian Railways, particularly, during the last decade, in terms of infrastructure creation, development and passenger amenities. People’s representatives would take the merger demand to its logical end thereby fulfilling the long-pending demand of the general public, he said.

KRCL’s Regional Railway Manager at Karwar Asha Shetty said the corporation has spent about ₹53 crore on complete track renewal and would spend about ₹26 crore to augment passenger amenities along its network.

Later, the MP and Moodbidri MLA Umanath Kotian launched improvement work at Mulki station.