Train of woes at Hubli rly station

Train of woes at Hubli rly station
TIMES NEWS NETWORK - MANU AIYAPPA

30 Oct, 2006 2302hrs IST

HUBLI: The city of Hubli may take pride in the fact that it houses the headquarters of South Western Railway. But ironically, woes of rail commuters never seems to end. Getting train reservations at Hubli railway reservation counters has become a Herculean task due to the shortage of staff and reservation counters.

The condition of passengers at the reservation office is pitiable. Though there are four counters, only two or three are operational. There are only four staffers besides a supervisor who work in shifts round the clock.

This results in long queues and frayed tempers but there is no hope for the harassed people of the city as the railway authorities seem to be in no hurry to improve the situation. Residents are fed up of complaining to the authorities.

A quick perusal of the complaint register reveales that several people had requested for opening two or more reservation counters considering that the number of passengers booking their tickets from Hubli railway station is growing by the day. Some others have also questioned the quality of service at the reservation and inquiry centre.

The crux of the matter though is the shortage of staff besides frequent breakdown of the computer network and insensitive rules. Endorsing this, a railway reservation clerk said: "The problem is not uncommon.

Every other day, passengers are forced to waste precious time because of serpentine queues and breakdown of computer link. But we are not to be blamed for it.

The fault is of post and telegraph department besides severe shortage of staff". He said they reserved around 400 seats daily which include tickets which have to be processed manually like warrants of army personnel.

He said though they were able to tackle the rush, the queue becomes inordinately long when warrant or concession tickets have to be processed.

Clerks say it sometimes becomes difficult to man the inquiry counter when someone goes on leave. They said they had requested for an increase in the number of clerks at the station, but nothing had been done so far.

"We had hope that things would improve after Hubli became the headquarters of South Western Railway, but it was not to be so", they added.

Inconvenience to public is further aggravated by the absence of benches. These are particularly needed for the old and the handicapped as they have to wait for long in the event of a link failure.

They have no option but to sweat it out in the never-ending queues. Worse is that there is no separate counters for women, senior citizens and Army personnel.

The inquiry centre always remains deserted. During shift change, the clerks concerned stop issuing tickets for 30-45 minutes and the next shift takes considerable time to settle down, passengers complain. A nexus between booking agents and some Railway officials too add to their problem.

To ease the rush and public inconvenience, the residents here suggest that private reservation counters be opened in different parts of the city.

For IT cos, there's talent beyond B'lore

For IT cos, there's talent beyond B'lore

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2006 12:30:27 AM

BANGALORE: For IT companies finding it difficult to hire enough talented, fresh, engineers in Bangalore, here’s some news. Students in secondary cities in Karnataka like Mangalore and Bellary are almost on par with their peers in Bangalore in terms of communication and soft skills. Currently, there’s a belief that students from tier-II cities are lacking in soft skills.


A MeritTrac study, ‘Beyond Bangalore — The Karnataka Engineering Talent Pool Report’, says the percentage of candidates meeting minimum qualifying criteria for communication and language skills in Bangalore is 37.69% while the figure for the rest of Karnataka stood at 23.48%.

Karnataka had an overall percentage of 30.6%. While there is a lot of difference in numbers, Madan Padaki, co-founder, MeritTrac, a skills assessment firm, opines that it is closer than what was thought to be.

”It basically means that one in 2.5 fresh engineering graduates in Bangalore qualifies for the minimum criteria by the industry while one in four people in cities oputside the state capital is good enough. This is a start which can be built upon by the government and industry,” he adds.

About 8,500 pre-final and final year engineering students in 95 colleges across the state were covered in the study done between May and August this year. The report found that after Bangalore, the Hubli-Dharwad cluster had the second best quaifying percentage at 28.60% while Belgaum came third with 28.16%. These were followed by Bellary at 27.42%, Mangalore at 23.40%, Mysore at 20.84% and Gulbarga at 14.33%.

The study found, with an estimated 90,000 candidates available in the pre-final and final year engineering in Karnataka, an overall 30.6% for the state translates to a total employable pool of about 27,540 candidates.

Helmets are must from today

Helmets are must from today
The Hindu.com

Special Correspondent

Police to fine two-wheeler riders without helmets
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
# Helmets should conform to ISI specifications
# Police to launch awareness campaign
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BANGALORE: Two-wheeler riders will have to wear helmets from Wednesday when the rule making this compulsory comes into force in the limits of Bangalore and five other city corporations in the State.

Home Minister M.P. Prakash told presspersons on Tuesday that the rule would be in force within the limits of the Bangalore Metropolitan Regional Development Authority (BMRDA) and the Mysore, Mangalore, Gulbarga, Hubli-Dharwad and Belgaum city corporations.

The Bellary City Corporation has been exempted in view of the high temperature there.

In Bangalore, the rule will be applicable throughout city and within the limits of the Bommanahalli, Dasarahalli, Byatarayanapura, Krishnarajapuram, Mahadevapura, Yelahanka and Rajarajeshwarinagar city municipal councils and the Kengeri Town Municipal Council. Helmets should conform to ISI specifications.

Police to enforce rule


Commissioner of Police Neelam Achuta Rao told presspersons on Tuesday that the police would enforce the rule from Wednesday. Any two-wheeler rider found not wearing a helmet would be fined Rs. 100. The police would impose a fine of Rs. 300 for every subsequent violation, he said.

Mr. Achuta Rao said the Government had not yet taken a decision on making wearing of helmets compulsory for those riding pillion.

`Suvarna Karnataka' on fast track of development

`Suvarna Karnataka' on fast track of development
The Hindu.com

S. Rajendran

BANGALORE: The ideological differences between them notwithstanding, the Janata Dal (Secular)-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) coalition Government in Karnataka has remained focussed on development. Terming the financial situation of the State "buoyant", Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy and Deputy Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa exuded confidence that the Suvarna Karnataka year would usher in a golden era.

After tiding over the pathetic finances, the State hopes to post Rs. 1,500 crore additional revenue this fiscal.

With a majority of the population depending on agriculture for livelihood, Mr. Kumaraswamy and Mr. Yediyurappa told The Hindu here on Tuesday that the Government, as part of the Suvarna Karnataka year, had set itself a target of disbursing loans of Rs. 3,500 crore at 4 per cent interest. In seven months, the Government has disbursed loans worth Rs. 2,000 crore to 7.46 lakh farmers. But this time, weavers, fishermen, self-help groups, and other sections of society, besides farmers, will get the subsidised loan. Extending loans at 4 per cent interest rate was suggested by the former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda to save poor farmers from committing suicide.

Mr. Kumaraswamy said the State Government had an ambitious plan to decongest Bangalore with the Centre's cooperation. The Government wants to set up five satellite towns in a radius of 30 to 40 km around Bangalore and link them and the core part of Bangalore with radial and rings roads. These satellite towns are expected to provide cheap housing to the people. Although it is a long-term plan, the Government has initiated the process. Bangalore Metro Rail project is also taking shape with work expected to start in two months.

Mr. Yediyurappa said apart from Bangalore, tier-II cities of Shimoga, Mangalore, Mysore, Hubli-Dharwad, Belgaum and Gulbarga will be in focus. Preventing migration will be one way of checking people from moving into the State capital in search of jobs. With the information technology sector changing the economic profile of the State, the coalition Government is enlisting the support of the knowledge industry in development.

The Chief Minister and the Deputy Chief Minister were confident that the Centre would concede the State's request to grant classical language status to Kannada in the Suvarna Karnataka year.

From November 1, 1956 to this day, Karnataka has taken a giant leap forward. But it has a long way to go in terms of providing drinking water, food, houses, health care and jobs to the poorest of the poor.

No entry for trucks during day time

No entry for trucks during day time
TIMES NEWS NETWORK

27 Oct, 2006 2329hrs IST

HUBLI: In a welcome move, the Hubli-Dharwad police commissionerate on Friday issued orders prohibiting the entry of trucks transporting manganese and iron ore into the twin-cities during daytime. The order will come into force from the date of its notification.

Police commissioner Narayan Nadamani has issued the orders banning the movement of trucks carrying iron and manganese ore from 7 am to 11 pm in Hubli-Dharwad. The restriction aims to facilitate free vehicular movement during rush hour, he said. The police, Nadamani added, will also set up check posts at all entry points to monitor the movement of these heavy trucks.

He said the order has been issued after there were complaints of an increase in number of road accidents. "Ever since the price of iron ore rose in the international market, the movement of these trucks also increased. This has increased the number of accidents besides traffic congestion".

According to sources, around 3,000 vehicles pass through the twin-cities everyday. Similarly, the number of accidents has also increased. The residents here had been urging the authorities to ban the movement of these trucks. The District Transport committee and authority too had decided to regulate the movement of ore-carrying lorries in the twin-cities.

All these factors and pressure from the public and several organisations, prompted us to impose a ban on the movement of ore-carrying lorries, Nadamani added.
The trucks, which pass through the twin cities, is already burdened with heavy traffic and the movement of mine lorries is hindering vehicular movement.

However, the police have not placed any ban on other trucks. Trucks coming from Gadag and Navalgund will be allowed to take the railway under bridge, Lamington Road, KC Circle, Kamaripet Police Station, Bankapur Chowk, Bidnhal to reach Gabbur bypass.

Trucks coming from Navalgund should pass through Keshwapur, Sarvodya Circle, Club Road, Brindavan Circle, K C Circle, Kamaripet police station, Bankapur chowk Bidnhal and Gabbur bypass. However, the movement of trucks has been completely restricted towards Chatni mutt, Jigaloor Kalyan Mantap, Irkal petrol pump towards, New English school and old Hubli Durgad Bail area.

On their return journey, the empty trucks will bbe allowed to come from Karwar Road and pass through old Hubli, M T Mill, Vani Vilas Hosur Circle, KTC Cross and North Traffic Police Station, Neeligen Road,KC Circle,Gadag Road and Desai Circle. However, representatives of mining and transport associations are unhappy with the decision.

Banning the movement of lorries will not only affect mining but also the economy, they added. Instead of preventing lorries during day, their movement could be prohibited in the morning and evening, they said.

TI veteran starts analog/mixed-signal firm in India(Hubli)

TI veteran starts analog/mixed-signal firm in India

- K.C. Krishnadas EE Times

23 Oct 2006

Former Texas Instruments (TI) general manager Vivek Pawar launched a new venture offering analog and mixed-signal design and layout services in India. Named Sankalp Semiconductor, the firm plans to provide methodology and automation-oriented high-end services and solutions in these areas.

The venture will utilize multiple groups working from smaller cities such as Hubli in southern India's Karnataka state and eventually others. Using engineering students is an essential part of Sankalp's development activities.

"India has few companies offering mixed-signal services and the companies existing in this domain elsewhere are generally into low-end services. But India is now in a position where it can use the engineering aptitude and numbers of engineers available, the semiconductor knowledge of experienced designers here and become a hub of mixed-signal solutions," said Pawar, founder and CEO, Sankalp Semiconductor.

Sankalp is already involved in work on 90-, 65- and 45nm technologies and has done work in data converters, custom analog blocks and wireless modules. The company is also looking at memory and RF layouts and a solution to cut cycle time for mixed-signal chip assembly is in the works, Pawar said. "There is a huge market among European, Indian, Japanese and U.S. companies and with a focus on each domain in the mixed-signal space, we have no doubt we can do well. We will also provide consultancy on a case-by-case basis in this space," he added.

Pawar was with TI India for 15 years and holds 4 patents in the mixed-signal space. Sankalp's funding came from Pawar and some of his friends. The company plans to hike staff from its present 42 to about a 100 within the next 12 months.

New projects for twin cities - laughing stock

New projects for twin cities - laughing stock
Newindpress.com

Saturday October 21 2006 13:16 IST

HUBLI: The announcement to set up the Textile Park in the twin cities of Hubli-Dharwad by the State Government, has become a laughing stock with the government’s failure to keep its word in implementing projects announced for the twin cities.

People have lost faith in the government announcing new projects for the twin cities. Not only the incumbent government, but all previous governments had announced many new projects for Hubli and Dharwad, however, they were on paper only.

There is a long list of such new projects and schemes which were announced by all the governments and nothing was done to implement them with commitment, in a decade.

The government had announced its plan to construct a big truck terminus near Gabbur cross on 80 acres of land, to ease traffic congestion in the twin cities, about six years ago. Even the district administration had announced a time bound programe to complete this terminus last year, but nothing has moved on this, with no works initiated on constructing the terminus.

Both, the Hubli-Dharwad Urban Development Authority and the district administration, pass the buck to each other, for the delay in taking up the works.

Another project, was that of setting up the ‘Regional Science Centre’ on KUD campus, which was ignored by the government after the formal announcement.

Though, the Central government was said to have sanctioned its share of Rs 3.25 crore, there is still no sign of initiating works on this project.

People here were elated when the government announced constructing a ring road that was approved in 2001 when Dharam Singh was the PWD minister. But, this project did not get salvation even when Dharam Singh became the CM.

The government had also promised to convert the road between Hubli-Dharwad into four-lane, when S M Krishna was the CM but again failed to do so, resulting in public agitations.

The list of projects being announced for the twin cities like establishing cold storages, flyovers, solid management unit, is endless.

Sadly, most projects have been gathering dust in various government departments.

At least now, the government should stop announcing new projects, till it completes all pending projects with commitment, to win the confidence and faith of people of the twin cities, is what the public strongly opine.

NRIs on e-crusade for JNNURM

NRIs on e-crusade for JNNURM

MANU AIYAPPA - TIMES NEWS NETWORK

11 Oct, 2006 2320hrs IST

HUBLI: The campaign to demand the inclusion of Hubli-Dharwad under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) received a shot in the arm with some Non-Resident Indians now joining the crusade.

Some natives of Hubli-Dharwad residing overseas have volunteered to launch a chain of protest by observing a day-long fast to express their solidarity, to insist that the Union government include the twin-cities under JNNURM.

Nagesh Tavarageri, a resident of Cerritos in USA, who initiated this e-movement through a group website, observed the token hunger strike on Tuesday.

Informing this to The Times of India over phone from the US, Tavarageri said: "The goal of this group is to unite and send a strong signal to the Karnataka and Union governments that we too are concerned about the development of our hometown Hubli-Dharwad."

Already, hundreds of natives of Hubli-Dharwad residing overseas have made online representations (www.petitiononline.com/HDJNNURM/petition.html) to President A P J Abdul Kalam, prime minister Manmohan Singh, Union urban development minister S Jaipal Reddy and chief minister H D Kumaraswamy.

Prabhuraj Ginimav of UK, Jayaraghavan of Angola in Africa, Sanjay Mundergi, USA, Lingappa Kalburgi, Auckland, New Zealand, and Praveen Karadiguddi Manchester, UK, and a host of Indians have volunteered to take part in the e-movement.

"This is just the beginning. If needed, we would do more to ensure that the Hubli-Dharwad is included under JNNURM,"said an e-mail from an NRI settled in UK. Highlighting the importance of the project and the movement, the NRIs said JNNURM is the single largest central government initiative in the urban sector, aimed at improving the quality of life in cities and towns across the country. It has made provision for Rs 50,000 crore for a period of seven years.

The JNNURM will extend to 63 cities, including those with a population of above a million, all state capitals and other cities considered important from religious, historical and tourist point of view.

Under the scheme, cities had been classified into three categories. A steering committee headed by the Union minister of urban development was constituted to finalise the list of the cities to be taken up under the mission.

The committee first took up the issue with the then chief minister Dharam Singh and the then minister for urban development S R Morey (both hailing from North Karnataka) and appealed to them to include Hubli-Dharwad in the list, as the state governments were given powers to change the cities to be taken up under the scheme.

Initially, they responded and sent a letter on November 29, 2005, requesting them to include the twincities under the scheme.

But bowing to political pressure, Dharam Singh again wrote a letter on December 7, 2005, to the Union government urging him to include Hubli-Dharwad and Gulbarga along with Mysore.

This virtually spoiled the show as the guidelines of the mission clearly stated that only one city should be recommended under the C category.

Singh deliberately overlooked them and as a result, the steering committee decided to go by the initial list. This attracted widespread protest from various quarters even as everyone rued the decision of the previous Congress-led government.

As a damage control exercise, AICC chief Sonia Gandhi during her visit to Bangalore recently, assured the people of Karnataka that Hubli-Dharwad would be included under JNNRUM once again, reviving the hopes of residents here

7 Karnataka cities to be renamed - Hubli to become HUBBALLI

7 Karnatataka cities to be renamed
TIMES NEWS NETWORK

10 Oct, 2006 0211hrs IST

BANGALORE: It's not just Bengalooru. Seven cities of Karnataka will be officially renamed after a gazette notification on November 1.

The Kannada and culture department has identified seven cities in the state as having "Anglicised" names and suggested new names for them.

Bangalore, Mysore, Mangalore, Hubli, Shimoga, Belgaum and Hospet will become Bengalooru, Mysooru, Mangalooru, Hubballi, Shivamogga, Belagaavi and Hosapete.

"This is the list we've drawn up. We've left out names like Gulbarga, because those are not Anglicised. This list will be put up before the state cabinet and pending any additions that the ministers think of, these seven cities will be renamed on November 1," Kannada and culture secretary I M Vittal Murthy told The Times of India.

The English spellings still have to be finalised.

DC to officials: Make zilla utsav a success

DC to officials: Make zilla utsav a success
The Newindpress.com

Tuesday October 10 2006 13:34 IST

HUBLI: Deputy Commissioner M S Srikar has directed officials to put in concerted efforts to make Dharwad Zilla Utsav to be held here for three days from November 17, a success.

Srikar, who chaired the preliminary meeting of district-level officers in the light of Zilla Utsav, here recently, said that cultural programmes would be held at Srujana Ranga Mandir, R N Shetty Ground, Kalabhavan, Vidyavardhak Sangh, Open Air theatre of Dharwad and Indira Glass House, Savai Gandharava Hall and Revanakar Kalyana Mantap of Hubli.

The meeting decided to invite cultural troupes, tableaux, folk dance groups for public performance during the Utsav. Various sub-committees have been formed under the chairmanship of district officers to supervise the event.

The exhibition of photographs of laureates and artistes will be held at Vidya Vardhak Sangh, exhibition of brief introduction on laureates and artistes at G B Joshi Memorial Trust, exhibition of postal stamps and letters at Head Post Office, ‘Bendre Darshan’ will be held at Bendre Trust, exhibition of musical instruments at the residence of Hindustani vocalist Gangubai Hangal and ‘Bendre Kuteeta Darshan’ will be held at Vishwa Chetana Ashrama of Hubli.

Shettar flayed for giving ‘confusing statements’

Shettar flayed for giving ‘confusing statements’
The Newindpress.com

Tuesday October 10 2006 13:32 IST

HUBLI: Jawaharlal Nehru National Renovation Mission and the Kalasa-Banduri Project Implementation Action Committee has criticised Revenue Minister Jagadish Shettar for not putting sincere efforts to include Hubli-Dharwad under JNNURM.

Addressing a press conference here on Monday, Anilkumar Patil, president of the committee said Minister Shettar had issued ‘confusing statement’ on JNNURM on Sunday by saying that the State Government had urged the Union Minister for Urban Development Jaipal Reddy to include twin cities under Jawaharlal Nehru National Renovation Mission.

Earlier, the same minister had clearly stated that inclusion of Hubli-Dharwad under the programme was a ‘closed chapter,’ as it was not possible for the state government to recommend third city for inclusion in addition to Bangalore and Mysore citing the norms of the programme, he added.

He said it was proved that the coalition government in the state was not committed to develop the twin cities, so the committee would lead a delegation to New Delhi to pressurise the Central Government in this regard, he said.

Industrialists-investors meet next month

Industrialists-investors meet next month
PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

Monday, October 09, 2006 at 1624 hours IST

BANGALORE, OCTOBER 9: The Karnataka government has decided to set up Special Economic Zones in Belgaum and Hubli districts as part of its drive to promote industrial activity in northern parts of the state.

In consonance with the decision to promote industrial growth in North Karnataka region, adopted at the special legislature session held at Belgaum last month, the government has decided to set up SEZ in Belgaum and Hubli, state Minister for Major Industries Katta Subramanya Naidu said.

Several industrialists have come forward to establish units at the multi-product SEZ proposed at Belgaum, which he would be visiting on October 14, Naidu said.

Besides, the government is also planning to organise a meeting of industrialists and investors next month end as part of the Golden Jubilee celebrations of the state's formation.

Preliminary talks on the event has been held with Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy and Deputy Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa, he told reporters here.

He said on October 17 he would visit Gulbarga to hold talks with industrialists and persuade them to set up more industries.

Biocon, Ashok Leyland and Gokuldas Garments have evinced interest to invest in Shimoga district and representatives of these industries have been called for a meeting there on October 28, he said.

Work on Navalur goods shed commences

Work on Navalur goods shed commences
The Newindpress.com

Friday October 6 2006 14:13 IST

HUBLI: Trilok Nath Perti, General Manager, South Western Railway, laid the foundation stone for a goods shed at Navalur near Hubli here on Thursday.

To develop Hubli station into a zonal headquarters station, it was decided to shift the existing goods shed at Hubli railway station to Navalur, Perti said.

Hubli station at present had only four platforms, hence, it was difficult to meet the demands of passengers. This also comes in the way of introducing additional trains.

Perti disclosed that the State Government had given 100 acres for this purpose free of cost at Navalur and the railways had also sanctioned Rs 11.2 crore for it.

After commissioning the Navalur project, the entire goods shed activities will be shifted there.

He informed that Hubli station would be improved by providing two additional platforms, foot overbridges, new station building and other additional facilities for passengers after shifting the goods shed.

HDMC goes ahead with city plan

HDMC goes ahead with city plan
TIMES NEWS NETWORK

5 Oct, 2006 2248hrs IST

HUBLI: Without waiting for a formal proposal from the state government to the Centre for the inclusion of Hubli-Dharwad in the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission, the HDMC has prepared a draft City Development Plan for the purpose.

It is more than a month since Congress president Sonia Gandhi, while addressing a public rally in Bangalore, had made an announcement on the inclusion of the twin-cities in the JNNURM mission, but the state government is still dilly-dallying over it.

This, despite a written assurance from primary and secondary education minister Basavaraj Horatti to former HDMC mayor Anil Kumar Patil that the proposal would be sent to the Centre in the third week of September. Patil had threatened to start a rasta roko agitation.

The HDMC had commissioned the report from a consortium of Administrative Staff College of India and Ernst & Young. In the draft report submitted to the corporation last month, it has proposed an investment of Rs 472.23 crore for the city’s infrastructure till the year 2012.

The investment plan envisages Rs 43.56 crore for water supply, Rs 124 crore for sewerage, Rs 20.69 crore for solid waste management, Rs 37.95 crore for storm water drains, Rs 98.50 crore for traffic and road improvement, and Rs 147.51 crore for slum upgradation.

The preparation of the report has been financed by the Washingtonbased Cities Alliance, whose city development strategy approach has been adopted as a model, and is mandatory for accessing funds made available by the Centre under the mission.

The main objective of the City Development Plan is to ensure planned growth of Hubli-Dharwad in the desired direction, promote economic growth and service delivery, and reduce urban poverty guided by a shared vision for development of the twin-cities.

Under the mission, the central government is likely to provide financial assistance of nearly Rs 500 crore to Hubli-Dharwad, spread over the coming five to ten years, for improving urban governance and ensuring sustained economic development.

The entire exercise for preparation of the plan involved active participation of key stakeholders like Hubli-Dharwad Municipal Corporation, Hubli-Dharwad Urban Development Authority, Karnataka Urban Water Supply and Drainage Board, Karnataka Slum Clearance Board, and representatives of civil society, spread over four months.

Metro rail mooted to beat narrow roads

Metro rail mooted to beat narrow roads

M L Kapur - TIMES NEWS NETWORK

3 Oct, 2006 2322hrs IST

HUBLI: A report prepared for the Asian Development Bank-assisted North Karnataka Urban Sector Investment Project (NKUSIP) has suggested setting up of metro rail for Hubli-Dharwad, the largest urban centre in the state after Bangalore.

Prepared jointly by Wilbur Smith Associates and Tamil Nadu Urban Infrastructure and Financial Service, the report submitted to the government in June said: "Authorities should plan and reserve land for a rail-based mass rapid transit system."

The Karnataka Urban Infrastructure Development and Finance Corporation is the implementing agency for the project, which was conceived in 2003 in pursuance of recommendations of the Nanjundappa Committee report on regional imbalance.

A study recently commissioned by HDMC, too, had recommended halfhourly local train service between Hubli and Dharwad to further decongest the killer stretch of Pune-Bangalore national highway connecting the twin-cities.

It said the existing local trains between Hubli and Dharwad have helped reduce traffic to some extent, and suggested that if found feasible, the railways should double the track between the two cities for running local trains without affecting normal rail traffic.

A consortium of Administrative Staff College of India (ASCI), Hyderabad, and Ernst and Young did this study as part of finalising a long-term city development strategy.

Washingtonbased Cities Alliance, an initiative of the World Bank, has funded the study. As per the funding pattern for any scheme under the NKUSIP, while ADB will provide assistance to the tune of 60 cent of the total project cost, the state government will bear 32 per cent and the concerned urban local body (HDMC) will contribute 8 per cent.

However, it may be mentioned that this is the umpteenth plan for augmenting urban infrastructure in the twincities. A Hubli-Dharwad Agenda Task Force set up during the S M Krishna regime had suggested a flyover at Chennamma Circle in 2002.

Observing that inadequate road width in the central business district was a major traffic bottleneck, the NKUSIP city infrastructure report has also recommended construction of two flyovers in Hubli from Unkal Cross to Hosur Cross, and from Chennamma Circle to Gadag Road.

Similarly, a half ring road connecting Bijapur Road, Gadag Road, Pune-Bangalore highway and Karwar Road to decongest Chennamma Circle has also being talked about for a decade, but is yet to take concrete shape

Happy Ayudha Pooja and Vijaydashmi to all the Readers

Happy Ayudha Pooja and Vijaydashmi to all the Readers

From the Moderator



On this special occasion I wish all the readers of the blog throughtout the World a very Happy Dasara or Vijaydashmi.

On this day the good is always above the evil.

As in Hubbali Dharwad we say " Banni Thogand Bangara thdhang Erona".

With warm wishes,

Praveen