Bommai urges Ashwini Vaishnaw to start Gadag–Yelavigi railway project at earliest

New Delhi: Former chief minister Basavaraj Bommai on Monday urged Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw to take up the Gadag–Yelavigi railway line project at the earliest.

Bommai who met the Union Minister, said that the Gadag–Yelavigi railway project falls within the Haveri–Gadag Lok Sabha constituency. This project, about 58 km in length, was approved by the Central Government in 2017–18.

It will connect Gadag and Haveri districts, and also link Kittur Karnataka with Kalyana Karnataka. This connectivity will greatly facilitate passenger movement and goods transportation in North Karnataka, thereby helping to upgrade Karnataka’s economic activities.

He further stated that the central and state governments will share the cost of the project in a 50:50 ratio, and the required land will be provided by the State Government. The Karnataka Government, in 2022 had already committed to pay 50% of the project cost and providing the land free of cost.

He also appealed to the Union Minister to release about Rs 650 crore for the first phase of the project and, at the same time, for Karnataka government officials to initiate the land acquisition process, so that the work can commence within the financial year 2025–26.