Udupi-Chikkamagaluru Member of Parliament Kota Srinivas Poojary held a meeting with the General Manager of South Western Railway, along with members of Kundapura Railway Passengers Association, on Saturday, July 26, at Rail Soudha, SWR Headquarters in Hubballi.
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
The South Western Railway (SWR) on Saturday (July 26, 2025) informed Udupi-Chikkamagaluru MP Kota Srinivas Poojary that the tender process for the construction of a crossing station at Arebetta on the Subrahmanya Road-Sakleshpur Ghat section of Mangaluru-Hassan line was in the final stage.
The crossing station, upon commissioning, was expected to enhance train handling capacity through the Ghat thereby facilitating introduction of more number of trains between the coast and Bengaluru and surrounding regions.
SWR General Manager Mukul Saran Mathur told the MP that the Zone has already submitted the final project report to the Railway Board on Arebetta Crossing Station between Shiribagilu and Yadakumari that was estimated to cost about ₹34 crore.
When Mr. Poojary met Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on July 22 in New Delhi on the crossing station issue, Mr. Vaishnaw had directed the SWR to immediately submit the project report assuring that the Ministry would fund the work. The MP had told the Minister despite his assurance in the Lok Sabha during the winter session on providing the Arebetta Crossing Statin, SWR did not achieve any progress.
HMRDC issue
Mr. Mathur told the MP on Saturday that the preparation of the final report got delayed as concurrence of Hassan-Mangalore Railway Development Corporation, a central government company that executed the Hassan-Mangauru gauge conversion project, had to be taken. With HMRDC’s concurrence, the report was sent to the Ministry, and once the tender was awarded, SWR would complete the crossing station within a year, the GM said.
Meanwhile, Mr. Poojary asked Mr. Mathur to provide additional information to facilitate merger of HMRDC with the Indian Railways as the special purpose vehicle was causing confusion in executing development works on the section.
The GM also informed Mr. Poojary that the Zone would send proposal to the Board to enhance Ghat section speed for passenger trains from the present 30 kmph to 40 kmph and also to simplify train crossing rules on the Ghat section.
All these measures, Mr. Poojary said, should help the introduction of more passenger trains through the Ghat section. Association President Ganesh Puthran and others members were present.
Published – July 26, 2025 01:52 pm IST
