Bengaluru, May 15 (IANS) In a significant push to strengthen rail infrastructure in Karnataka, the Railway Board has approved Final Location Surveys (FLS) for two important new railway lines under the South Western Railway (SWR) zone, the official statement said on Thursday.

The first proposed line spans 162 km between Almatti and Yadgir, with a sanctioned survey cost of Rs 4.05 crore.

The second survey, costing Rs 1.825 crore, will cover a 73-kilometre stretch between Bhadravathi and Chikjajur via Channagiri.

Together, these surveys amount to a total estimated cost of Rs 5.875 crore.

This initiative marks the crucial first step in the planning and development of key railway projects aimed at enhancing connectivity across the central and northern parts of the state.

The proposed Almatti-Yadgir line is strategically significant as it aims to enhance connectivity between northern Karnataka and major economic corridors, the statement said.

Almatti, known for its dam and hydroelectric power generation, plays a key role in the region’s agriculture and energy sectors, while Yadgir serves as a crucial junction in the Hyderabad-Mumbai rail corridor.

Improved rail connectivity between these points will boost regional trade, mobility, and access to resources.

Similarly, the Bhadravathi-Chikjajur line will strengthen intra-state connectivity in central Karnataka.

Bhadravathi, an industrial town housing steel and paper industries, will benefit from direct access to Chikjajur, a major railway junction that connects several parts of Karnataka. This line is expected to support freight movement, industrial growth, and better passenger connectivity in the region.

Meanwhile, Union Minister of State for Railways V. Somanna has inaugurated the Gadag-Wadi Railway project in Koppal on Thursday.

The project will provide railway connectivity between the Mumbai, Karnataka and Kalyana Karnataka regions.

Union Minister Somanna stated that the hard work of the Congress MLA and CM’s Economic Advisor Basavaraj Rayareddy has paid off, and this happened because of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

This railway project began when the Rajya Sabha Member and JD (S) National President H. D. Deve Gowda was the Prime Minister. During the tenure of former PM late Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the National Highways were extended all across the nation. During the tenure of PM Narendra Modi, the Indian Railways had made great achievements, he underlined.

–IANS

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