Karnataka's Railway Action Committee seeks approval for Ballari–Siruguppa–Sindhanur and Lingasuguru new railway line

New Delhi: Members of the Karnataka State Railway Action Committee met Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman here on Tuesday and urged her to sanction funds for the long-pending Ballari–Siruguppa–Sindhanur and Lingasuguru new railway line in the upcoming Railway Budget.

The delegation apprised the Minister that if the new line is constructed from Ballari to Sindhanur in the first phase, the distance between the two places would be reduced to just 70 km.

Once completed, this project would create a major 950-km-long rail corridor across Karnataka, connecting Chamarajanagar to Bidar via Mysuru, Hassan, Arsikere, Chitradurga, Ballari, and Raichur.

Pointing out that the new line would greatly benefit farmers in the Siruguppa region, known for its high-quality rice, the delegation said the railway network would enable them to transport paddy and other agricultural produce quickly and efficiently to different parts of the country.

Besides boosting agricultural transport, the line is also expected to generate significant revenue for the Railways through goods traffic while improving passenger services in this underserved region.

The delegation also appealed to the Finance Minister to recommend to the Railway Minister the introduction of modern trains such as Vande Bharat, Superfast Jan Shatabdi, or Intercity Express services from Ballari to Bengaluru.

They further requested the resumption of suspended passenger train services on the Ballari route, including those to Kolhapur, Shivamogga, and Chennai.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman assured the delegation that she would discuss the proposals with the Railway Minister and take them forward, said K M Maheshwara Swamy, President of the Karnataka State Railway Action Committee.