Udupi: The Central Government has received a proposal to merge the Konkan Railway with the Railways Ministry, and Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has given a positive response. The minister suggested further steps, urging the partner states — Karnataka, Kerala, Goa, and Maharashtra — to initiate share buyback processes, Udupi-Chikkamagaluru MP Kota Srinivas Poojary stated.

Key directives have been issued to officials to move the proposal forward, he added.

During a meeting at Rail Bhavan in New Delhi, MPs Kota Srinivas Poojary (Udupi-Chikkamagaluru), Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri (Uttara Kannada), Captain Brijesh Chowta (Dakshina Kannada), and Dr. C. N. Manjunath (Bengaluru Rural) discussed vital regional railway issues with the minister. They highlighted the persistent challenges posed by the Sakleshpur Ghat section and requested implementation of expert-recommended solutions.

Discussions included doubling the Sakleshpur-Subrahmanya track, increasing speeds on the Subrahmanya-Padil section, and utilizing the Harebetta area as a crossing station. The MPs pointed out that operationalizing Harebetta would enable additional trains and optimized schedules between Bengaluru, Mangaluru, Kundapur, and Karwar.

The MPs also proposed introducing a late-night Padil bypass train connecting Bengaluru and Karwar, similar to the Panchaganga model. They reiterated the need for halts at Kundapur and Udupi for Delhi-bound trains, which have already received in-principle approval. A new Chikkamagaluru-Tirupati-Bengaluru route was also requested.

Proposals for Train Extensions:

The MPs sought the extension of the Bengaluru-Murudeshwar train to Vasco, enhancing coastal Karnataka’s connectivity to Goa’s airport, Velankanni, Tirupati, and North Karnataka. They also proposed extending train 17317/18 to Karwar, with additional stops at Khanapur, Ankola, and Talaguppa, along with prioritizing the development of the Hubballi-Ankola and Hubballi-Talaguppa rail routes.