NEW DELHI: Former Congress President Rahul Gandhi wrote to Union railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw over the delay in the construction of the Nilambur-Nanjangud-Mysore railway project.
In his letter to Vaishnaw dated June 4, Rahul Gandhi, who is also a Lok Sabha MP from Kerala’s Wayanad said: “This is regarding the Nilambur Nanjangud Mysore Railway project. The people of Wayanad parliamentary constituency have been fighting a protracted battle against the delay in the execution of the project.”
He said that he has raised this matter in Parliament and has written to the Ministry of Railways regarding the same. “The lack of clarity regarding the status of the project has led to widespread public anger,” the Congress leader said.
“The construction of the Nilambur-Nanjangud line was included in the Capital Investment Programme 2016-2017. Subsequently, the Kerala government entrusted the Kerala Rail Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd. (KRDCL), a joint venture company of the Government of Kerala and the Ministry of Railways to implement the project. However, there seems to be little progress,” he said.
He further said that limited railway connectivity coupled with the night traffic ban on NH 766 has adversely affected both inter and intra state mobility in Wayanad parliamentary constituency. “On completion, the Nilambur Nanjangud line will significantly reduce the travel time between Bangalore and Trivandrum, and has the potential to improve livelihood opportunities in the region,” he said.
Rahul Gandhi said that “I request you to kindly look into the matter, particularly regarding the unreasonable delay in the execution of the project”.