Minister of State for Railways V. Somanna held a meeting with elected representatives of Bengaluru on Saturday to discuss various railway-related development works in the city. MLAs and MPs attended the meeting, during which the Minister sought suggestions on railway projects.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Mr. Somanna said that the Ministry would consider revising the fares of premium trains like Vande Bharat to make them more accessible to the common people. “We want to make railways a mode of transport that all, including the poor, can use,” he said.
The Minister also announced that Karnataka would see significant railway development works in the next two years. He added that Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw would review the Bengaluru suburban rail project next month to expedite its progress.
Karnataka Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy, who attended the meeting, told The Hindu that he had submitted suggestions regarding land acquisition by railways. “The coordination between the railways and State government needs to improve, as there are many railway projects where state government funds are involved, and importantly, land acquisition issues need to be sorted out to complete works soon,” he added.
