Gangavathi people turns out in large numbers to welcome first train

HUBBALLI: Gangavathi city finally landed on the country’s railway map on Monday. When the flower-bedecked train arrived at 12.45pm carrying Koppal MP Sanganna Karadi , Gangavathi MLAs Paranna Munavalli and Basavaraj Dadesugur along with other leaders, people welcomed it with slogans like ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ and ‘Modi...

Modi’.

People from neighbouring villages boarded the train and checked out the facilities in the coaches and many took selfies and group photographs. “We’re seeing a train for the first time in Gangavathi,” said youths from nearby Marali village.

When the train entered the city, many two-wheeler riders and car drivers stopped to take a look at it. People who stay alongside the track also watched it in some fascination.

Srinivas NR, vice-president, Karnataka State Rice Millers Association, said the train to Gangavathi will boost industrial development of the region.

However, there was much talk about South Western Railway’s sudden inauguration of the train. Gangavathi falls on the Ginigera-Mehaboobnagar new line project of 246km, for which Rs 1,350 crore was sanctioned in 2013. The Hubballi-Chikkabenakal-Hubballi train has been running on this route since March 31, 2017. This train is cancelled often due to line-doubling work between Hubballi and Hosapete. “In the past year, this train was cancelled for almost six months. Now, SWR has extended it till Gangavathi but it should ensure its regularity. This line should not become non-operational like the Hosapete-Kottur one,” Srinivas said.

20 Years, 40 kms

It has taken 20 years to construct the new 40km line between Ginigera and Gangavathi. In 1999, then Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda laid the foundation stone for this project in Munirabad. As the Munirabad-Gangavathi stretch involves Tunga Bhadra River and seven lines of hills, the line was shifted to Ginigera.

“With MP Basavaraj Rayareddy’s efforts, this project was approved in 1997 but was in cold storage till 2006-07 when the Congress-JD(S) state government deposited 50% of the project cost. The railways ministry sanctioned Rs 1,350 crore and work was initiated,” said Shyamid Maniyar, president, Berahanui Masjeed, Gangavathi.

Incidentally, as per the 2011 census, Gangavathi has a higher population (1,05,529) than its district headquarters Koppal (70,698).