17 August 2014

HON’BLE UNION RAILWAY MINISTER SHRI D.V. SADANANDA GOWDA LAID FOUNDATION STONE FOR ROAD UNDER BRIDGE AT MANGALORE JUNCTION STATION(KANKANADI)

HON’BLE UNION RAILWAY MINISTER SHRI D.V. SADANANDA GOWDA LAID FOUNDATION STONE FOR ROAD UNDER BRIDGE AT MANGALORE JUNCTION STATION(KANKANADI)

Shri D. V. Sadananda Gowda, Hon’ble Union Railway Minister, performed Bhoomi Pooja at the LC gate No.146-B and laid the foundation stone for a Road Under Bridge in lieu of level crossing no.146-B o­n Padil – Bajal road at Kankanadi today at an impressive function.  Shri B. Ramanatha Rai, Hon’ble Minister for Forest, Environment and Ecology, Govt. of Karnataka presided over the function.  Shri Mahabala Marla, Worshipful Mayor, Mangalore City Corporation and Shri Nalinkumar Kateel, Hon’ble MP graced the occasion as distinguished guests.  Shri J.R. Lobo, M.L.A., Capt. Ganesh Karnik, M.L.C., Shri Ivan D’Souza, M.L.C. and Smt. Asha Thimmappa Gowda, President, Dakshina Kannada Zilla Panchayat were present as the guests of honour.  Shri Rakesh Misra, General Manager, Southern Railway welcomed the gathering.
Southern Railway is committed to meet the ever-growing traffic requirements of its passengers.  It constantly strives to improve upon its services by introducing new trains, increasing the frequency of existing services, extending routes, etc.  This Railway prides itself in providing safe, secure and comfortable journeys to its passengers.
             The gateway to coastal Karnataka, Mangalore is a port o­n the Arabian Sea and Karnataka’s second largest city.  Rail connectivity to Mangalore was established in 1907 with the construction of the Nethravati bridge.  Now, Mangalore is well served by a number of trains.  Mangalore Central railway station, with 3 platforms, handles 14 daily mail / express trains, 5 weekly trains, 1 bi-weekly train and 9 passenger trains.  Mangalore Junction railway station, with 3 platforms, handles 5 daily mail / express trains, 13 weekly trains, 6 bi-weekly trains, 2 tri-weekly trains and 5 passenger trains.
Proposed Road Under Bridge over LC No.146-B:
            Today, a new chapter begins in rail and road safety at Kankanadi as the foundation stone is laid for an RUB at Km 6 / 100 – 200 near Mangalore Junction railway station.  This level crossing is situated o­n the busy Padil – Bajal road in Kankanadi.  Heavy traffic flows through this road and closure of the level crossing gates leads to piling up of road vehicles o­n either sides.  Hence, a road under bridge has been proposed at this location.
             Construction of an RUB here will be fruition of a long-felt demand of numerous road users, who are facing much inconvenience due to traffic bottle necks and confronting frequent closure of the level crossing gates.  The proposed RUB will be a boon for road users as it will help in de-congesting roads and ensuring continuous and smooth flow of road traffic.  The operational efficiency of the railway will also improve as undesirable situations like gate failures will be eliminated.  The estimated cost of construction of this RUB is Rs.5.61 crores and the contribution by the Corporation of Mangalore towards this project is Rs.2,80,67,953.
             After the dignitaries addressed the gathering, the function drew to a close and Shri Anand Prakash, Divisional Railway Manager, Palakkad Division delivered the vote of thanks.
Salient Features of the Road Under Bridge
Road connected                                          : Bajal – Padil Road
Location                                                       : Near Mangalore Junction Railway Station
Estimated cost                                             : Rs. 5.61 crores
Contribution by Corporation of Mangalore  : Rs.2,80,67,953
Method of construction                                : Box pushing
Barrel length                                                : 23 metres
Size                                                              : 07.50 m x 5.78 m ( inside )
                                                                       12.10 m x 7.53 m ( outside ).