New Kushtagi-Talakal railway line in Koppal district inaugurated by V. Somanna
Realising the long-pending demand of Kushtagi, Yelburga and Kukanoor taluks in Koppal district of Karnataka, Union Minister of State for Railways V. Somanna inaugurated the Kushtagi–Talakal section of the Gadag–Wadi railway line at Kushtagi Railway Station on May 15. This marks a major milestone in enhancing railway connectivity in Koppal district.
The new 56-km stretch, part of the broader Gadag–Wadi rail project, connects several towns and villages, including Linganabandi, Hanumapur, Yelburga, Sanganal, Kukanoor, and Talakal.
The event also witnessed the flagging off of the first passenger train from Kushtagi to Hubballi, a service that is expected to benefit thousands of daily commuters and traders.
The daily passenger train will start at 7 a.m. from Kushtagi and reach Hubballi at 10.45 a.m. It leaves Hubballi at 5 p.m.
Addressing the gathering, Mr. Somanna lauded Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah for providing funds for land acquisition for the project. He expressed appreciation for the efforts of Chief Minister's Economic Advisor Basavaraj Rayareddy in pushing the project forward and hailed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for focusing on expansion of the railway network.
'Prime Minister Modi has revived and implemented several railway projects that were originally proposed during the previous UPA regime, with an investment of ₹7 lakh crore. Robust rail connectivity is essential for driving national development, and this can only be achieved when the Union and State governments function in close coordination, like two sides of the same coin. Since the BJP came to power, we have taken decisive steps towards achieving full railway electrification by 2025. Backed by a national railway budget of ₹2.65 lakh crore, our government has prioritised the completion of long-pending infrastructure projects, unlike the UPA era when funding for railway station development was largely neglected,' the Minister said.
The government was introducing the advanced Kavach safety system in Vande Bharat Express trains. 'From 2014 to 2024, we have created five lakh employment opportunities in the railways. After I took charge, we made it possible for candidates to write recruitment exams in Kannada. Additionally, 10,000 new engines are being inducted into the railway system to modernise operations,' he said.
Mr. Somanna stated that while the Central Government allocated ₹549 crore in the current financial year for the Gadag–Wadi railway line, ₹837 crore is pending from the government of Karnataka. He called on local leaders, including Basavaraj Rayareddy, to ensure the State's contribution is released promptly.
'For road overbridges and underpasses, the Centre is generously contributing 100% of the cost, although the norm is 50:50 funding between Centre and State,' he added.
As part of the event, local MLAs presented three major demands to the Union Minister: a new railway line between Daroji and Bagalkot, the launch of a direct train from Kushtagi to Bengaluru, and a survey for a proposed Kushtagi–Naragund–Ghataprabha line.
Koppal district in-charge Minister Shivaraj Tangadagi described the rail line as the fulfilment of a long-cherished dream for the region's residents and praised Basavaraj Rayareddy for playing a pivotal role in realising the project. 'The Gadag–Kushtagi portion of the line is one of the fastest-completed railway segments in recent memory. Although the project is jointly funded by the Centre and State, the State Government successfully managed the land acquisition,' he said.
Speaking on the historical journey of the project, Basavaraj Rayareddy recalled that the initial funding of ₹380 crore was sanctioned in 1996, during the tenure of then Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda. 'Electrification of the Kushtagi–Talkal segment must also be taken up, and adopting solar-powered systems could significantly reduce costs,' he added.
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