Survey on Hubli-Ankola railway project completed, says Joshi

Survey on Hubli-Ankola railway project completed, says Joshi
The Newindpress.com

Saturday July 15 2006 12:08 IST

HUBLI: A joint survey of Hubli-Ankola railway project undertaken by the state Forest and Railway departments was completed recently, said MP Prahlad Joshi.

Speaking to reporters here on Friday, Joshi said the work on Hubli-Ankola railway project was stopped after the Forest and Environment department objected to the project a few months ago and to resume the works on the project, a joint survey was launched by the Forest and Railway departments to survey the total forest land to be acquired for the project.

He said a final report of the survey would be tabled soon before the State Cabinet for its approval. Demarcation work to point the trees to be removed under this project was in progress, he added. He said after accepting the report, the State Government was expected to bring pressure on the Centre to resume the work on Hubli-Ankola railway project.

He said the Centre sanctioned work of constructing a half ring road between Gabbur Cross and Kusugal Road at a cost of Rs 20 crore and a detailed plan on this project would be finalised by the officers and department concerned soon.

Department concerned had been strictly instructed to take up the said work on time and complete it by the end of 2007, he added. When asked about the Kalasa-Banduri Nala project, he said BJP was committed to bring pressure on the Central and and State Governments to begin the work on the project.

To chalk out future course of action in this regard, Water Resources Minister K S Ishwarappa was expected to call a meeting of MLAs, MPs, farmer leaders and elected representatives of Malaprabha command areas soon at command area, he added.

He said BJP had been pressurising all the governments that came to power at the Centre and state to convince the Goa government to lift the stay order on the project.

He informed that a crucial meeting of all MLAs, MPs and elected representatives of BJP would be held in Bangalore on July 18 to discuss about the project.