The Mysore-Madikeri railway line project has inched a step forward with the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) issuing clearance for the survey work between Kushalanagar and Madikeri.

This was disclosed by the railway officials at the Divisional level Rail Users Consultative Committee meeting on Wednesday. The environmental clearance was received last week and the authorities plan to complete the survey and submit the report to the Railway Board by March 31st, 2015.

The preliminary engineering-cum-traffic survey for the proposed railway line was launched in December 2011 but was taken up only between Mysore to Kushalnagar and the partial survey report was submitted to the Railway Board. Though the project was shelved by the Railway Board on grounds of commercial unviability, the State Government has evinced interest in the project and has agreed to take it up on a cost-sharing basis apart from providing land to the railways.

The first phase of the project entails providing railway link between Mysore and Kushanlagar at a cost of Rs.660 crore and would also connect Hunsur and Periyapatana.

Interestingly, the project was included in the Railway Budget 2010-11 under the socially desirable rail connectivity and the first proposal for providing a rail link between Mysore and Madikeri was mooted in 1881-82, according to the Mysore Gazetteer.

Divisional Railway Manager Mr. Rajkumar Lal, Senior Divisional Commercial Manager Mr.Anil Kumar, senior officials of different departments from the Railways, stakeholders from various districts coming under Mysore Railway Division were present.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> National> Karnataka / by R. Krishna Kumar / Mysuru – November 05th, 2014