Scenic train route between Nelamangala, Kunigal

A tunnel near Thippasandra railway station on the newly constructed Bengaluru-Hassan railway line has generated excitement among passengers. The Hassan-Mangaluru railway line is already popular among travellers due to the many tunnels present on the route. The Bengaluru-Hassan stretch is an addition to the same line.

During construction, the Railway department tests the soil for every 500 metres. The construction depends on the soil testing report. There are many boulders near Thippasandra. Hence, a tunnel was built here, said Railway officials. Between Soluru in Magadi taluk and Thippasandra stations, the trains will run at a height of 80 feet from the ground for a distance of 2.7 kilometres.

During this journey, one can see areca and coconut plantations all around. The tracks which have been laid at a height of 80 feet are flanked by grills through which grass has been grown to prevent the soil from washing away.  Once the train runs through the 2.7 kilometre-stretch, it enters the tunnel at Anneshastripalya.

The train also runs at a height of 35 feet near Singonahalli Agrahara in Kunigal taluk and at 24 feet near Halappanagudde, said sources in the department. A 500-metre-long bridge near Chikkakere in Kunigal and a 180-metre-long bridge in the backwaters of Shimsha river are the major bridges on the route.

On the entire 164-kilometre route, there are no manned level crossings. Small bridges have been built over small agricultural canals that supply water to farms in Kunigal and Magadi taluks.

Stations
On the Bengaluru-Hassan stretch, Nelamangala, Soluru, Thippasandra, Kunigal, Yediyur, BG Nagar, Hirisave, Shravanabelagola, Channarayapatna, D Samudravalli and Shanti Grama are the stations which have been newly constructed. The foundation for the railway line was laid in 1996. The Railway department acquired land in Tumakuru district after March 2009 and in Mandya district after October 2010.