Bangalore: Railways proposes to start local trains in Bangalore in partnership with Karnataka Government and Union Urban Development Ministry under a Rs 1,000 crore project, Minister of State for Railways Basanagoud Patil Yatnal said today (Nov 1).

Speaking to reporters after flagging off Bangalore-Dadar (Mumbai) bi-weekly express train in Bangalore and in his speech at the function, he said the trains would cover Kengeri, Bangalore, Whitefield, Hebbal, Yeshwantpur, Banaswadi and Vimanapura.

Rail India Technical and Economic Services (RITES), a sister concern of Railways, had submitted its report on the project, which involved one third participation in terms of cost from the three partners, he said.

Yatnal said, according to RITES survey, some eight lakh commuters would be covered daily.

Railways, he said, was also considering introducing "Palace on Wheels" trains covering all major tourist spots in Karnataka and they were in talks with the State Tourism Department. "We will take a decision soon," he said.

On doubling of track between Bangalore and Mysore, he said work on it had been completed upto Kengeri and was on to complete it upto Ramanagara.

Yatnal said "anti-collision device" was also proposed to be introduced on trains in South-Western Railway, for which a preliminary survey had already been done by RITES.

PTI