Mysore/Mysuru: Mysuru-Kodagu MP Pratap Simha has urged Union Minister for Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw to rename the Mysuru-Bengaluru superfast express as ‘Wodeyar Express’ to mark the contribution of the Wadiyars to the development of the region including vast railway networks.
Meeting the Railways Minister in New Delhi, the MP said that the Wadiyar dynasty has contributed immensely to the region that led to all-round development, innovation and prosperity. In recognition to their contribution, Train Number 12614/ 12613 Superfast Daily Express must be renamed as ‘Wodeyar Express’, Simha said.
Listing some of the pro-people programmes undertaken by the erstwhile rulers, the MP said that the Wadiyars took initiative of bringing in rail networks to the region and accordingly, the development of rail infrastructure was given a fillip in the princely State of Mysore.
Wadiyars improved rural infrastructure, public health, education, agriculture, irrigation, industry and railways. The same rail networks helped the State in efficiently handling emergency situations due to droughts and famines and for monetising the rich material resources, he noted.
Recalling the contributions of Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar, the 24th ruler of Mysore State, Simha told the Minister that in recognition of his contributions, the Karnataka Government had sent a proposal to the Railways to name the Mysuru Junction Railway Station as Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wodeyar Mysuru Junction.
The MP also urged the Railway Minister to extend the Bengaluru-Mangaluru via Mysuru train service till Karwar and also increase the frequency of the train from the present tri-weekly status so that it can help the business community and also travelling residents of Mysuru and Karwar.
‘Ensure proper entry & exit points on Mysuru-Bengaluru Highway’
Meeting Alka Upadhyaya, the Chairperson of National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), regarding the on-going works of the access controlled 10-lane Mysuru-Bengaluru Economic Corridor, Pratap Simha requested her to ensure that proper entry and exit points are made at all five bypasses to six towns along the Expressway.
This is to facilitate the smooth movement of people and traffic who do not enter the Corridor.
He said that proper as-per-standard entry and exits where the bypasses end and begin have not been provided while simple entry and exit has been proposed that are far away from the bypass beginning and end points.
Roads constructed to bypass Bidadi, Ramanagara, Channapatna, Maddur and Srirangapatna, has a drawback as the current design of the highway does not provide for entry and exit points near the towns and commuters have to traverse for 7 to 8 kms along the service roads before entering the towns, he said.
The MP has sought modifications so as to ensure seamless travel and eliminate any chances of accidents due to confusion of movement by road users. Without seamless travel for both the expressway users and the other road users, the very purpose of the 10-lane road is defeated, he said.
This post was published on February 12, 2022 6:42 pm