In a significant proposal, Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, Shobha Karandlaje, has put forward the idea of merging the Konkan Railway with the Indian Railways. The announcement was made during a press conference in Udupi on June 3, highlighting concerns over the underdevelopment of the railway sector in coastal Karnataka.
Karandlaje expressed particular worry about the challenges faced by the separate entity of Konkan Railway in upgrading its infrastructure, notably the pending doubling of the Konkan Railway track. To address these issues, she suggested the integration of Konkan Railway as part of the South Western Railway.
The minister emphasized that the current single track in Karnataka hinders the demand for increased train operations on the Konkan route. Financial constraints faced by the Konkan Railway Corporation were cited as a significant obstacle in enhancing infrastructure. Additionally, the absence of a double track on the Konkan route and the implementation of separate tracks for commercial and passenger trains in certain parts of the country were noted.
This proposal is expected to prompt further discussions and evaluations on the potential benefits and challenges associated with merging Konkan Railway with the larger Indian Railways system.
