The railways will construct a new 332-km-long Mangaluru-Sringeri-Shivamogga railway line, Minister of State for Railways V. Somanna said here on Saturday.

Speaking to reporters after inspecting the Manglauru Junction Railway Station improvement project, the Minister said that the project is estimated to cost ₹3,300 crore.

The final location survey of the project has been completed. The railways will invite bids soon to take up the project, he said.

Railway station near MIA

The Minister said that a feasibility study has been taken up for building a railway station near Mangaluru International Airport.

Alignment fixation and the preparation of a detailed project report for the doubling of the Hassan-Mangaluru railway line are under consideration. The survey work for building the third and fourth railway lines between Shoranur and Mangaluru has been completed, and the project will be taken up shortly, he added.

On building a crossing at Arebetta on the Subrahmanya Road-Sakleshpur Ghat section of the Mangaluru-Bengaluru railway line, Mr. Somanna said the land is not fit to have a crossing. The railways will seek a fresh proposal, he said.

The Minister said Karnataka is an important State for the Union government, and railway projects to the tune of ₹52,000 crore are under way in the State. Of these, 14 are new railway projects. Due importance is being given to the development of the railway network across the country, he said.