Finally, train halts at Dudda!

Happy moments

Trains halting at the Dudda railway station on Wednesday, after a hiatus of more than one-and-a half-decades has brought cheers among the people here.

When the Mysore-Arsikere train reached the station at 11 am on Wednesday, hundreds of people who had gathered at the station shouted with joy.

The information of trains to be stopped at Dudda railway station from September 26 was being announced through public announcement system through autorickshaws since the past two days in all the surrounding villages. Hence, hundreds of people gathered at the station on Wednesday to welcome the train.

The idols of Bisilehalli amma, Honnadevi and Karibeereshwar were brought in a procession to the station from early morning. When the train stopped at the station, people decorated the train by tying banana stalks, garlands to the engine and performed puja. It halted at the station for about 10 minutes and then proceeded towards Arsikere.

Dudda railway station is one of the oldest stations in the district and all the trains were given a stoppage here. But after conversion of narrow gauge into broad gauge and with the bus and train fare being the same, number of people opting for trains had come down. Keeping this in view, railways had decided not to stop the trains at Dudda.

Worst roads

With road route to Arsikere in a very bad shape and bus fares rising considerably compared to rail fare, people again started demanding stoppage of trains and even held a series of protests. The seven-year-long struggle by the people led by Raitha Sangha turned fruitful as the railways finally decided to give a brief stop at Dudda, bringing relief to the residents.

Meanwhile, the passengers were happy as the villagers informed that they would bear the fare of the persons who travel on the first day from Dudda.

However, it is not yet clarified how many trains would be given a stoppage at Dudda. If the facility is utilised by people, it would be possible to stress the railway authorities to stop other trains too, said farmer leader D K Ningegowda. Construction of proper platforms and other basic facilities will be done once people use the facility in large numbers.