Bangalore, Oct 23: Karnataka Chief Minister S M Krishna today made a strong plea to the Railway Ministry to take up electrification of the loop line to facilitate operation of suburban electrical multiple unit (EMU) services to decongest roads. Speaking after witnessing the signing of shareholders' agreement for the Hassan-Mangalore gauge conversion project in the presence of Railway Minister Nitish Kumar here, Krishna said the state government and railways have commissioned rites to evaluate the feasibility of operation of suburban services along the entire corridor between Ramanagaram and Whitefield. He requested Kumar that pending commitment from the Union Urban Development Ministry, electrification of the loop line and quadrupling of the main line be taken up on a priority basis.

The measure, Krishna said would facilitate suburban EMU services at better frequencies on a regular basis, which would go a long way to decongest the roads and ease commuter traffic in Bangalore. He also urged the railways to take up doubling of the Bangalore-Kengeri-Ramanagaram section and electrification of the line.

Krishna reiterated his request to Railway Ministry to expedite sanction of the Ramanagaram-Maddur section as part of the overall project to double and electrify the entire Bangalore-Mysore line.

The Chief Minister wanted the Bangalore city railway station to be remodelled saying it needed urgent facelift. Bureau Report