The Hindu Business Line : Mangalore-Hassan gauge conversion to be over by June

NOTHING will come in the way of the early completion of the gauge conversion of Mangalore-Hassan railway line that has a strong economic potential, according to Mr Vinaykumar, Principal Secretary, Infrastructure, Government of Karnataka.

In an informal chat with presspersons at airport in Mangalore on Thursday, he said that work on the gauge conversion is likely to be completed by June 2005.

He said that Hassan-Mangalore Railway Development Corporation (HMRDC) — a special purpose vehicle — has been formed for the early completion of the gauge conversion work.

A senior railway official heads the special purpose vehicle as the chief executive officer.

Mr Vinaykumar was in Mangalore to participate in the `Aviation safety' seminar organised by Airports Authority of India.

Airport expansion: To a query on the construction of second runway at the Mangalore airport, he said the State Government had given approval to rehabilitate nine families, to be affected by the runway construction.

Asked about the other airports in Karnataka, he said that Mysore and Gulbarga have strong potential for the development of airports.

He also said that the challenges of security are always going up. Stating that terrorists[ have used even a harmless aircraft as a weapon of mass destruction in the 9/11 incident, he said, "We have moved to much higher level of danger now".

The Airport Director of Mangalore, Mr M.R. Vasudeva, presided over the inaugural function.