Union Minister for Consumer Affairs Pralhad Joshi and Union Minister of State for Railways V. Somanna, along with key railway and district officials, held a review meeting on Sunday (December 8) at the South Western Railway Headquarters in Hubballi, Karnataka, to assess the progress of major railway projects in the region.
The meeting focused on critical infrastructure developments, including the construction of new railway lines, road over and under bridges, and improvements to stations under the ‘Amrit Bharat Station Scheme’ (ABSS). The ministers emphasised the need for faster project completion, enhanced passenger services, and the introduction of new train connections.
Notable proposals included a bi-weekly service between Hubballi and Varanasi, as well as a new MEMU (Mainline Electric Multiple Unit) train service. Officials were instructed to prioritie these projects and resolve any execution challenges to ensure they are completed on time.
Review of rail infrastructure projects in Hubballi Region
An official statement outlined that the review covered major projects such as the Dharwad-Belagavi New Line, Hubballi-Ankola New Line, and Hubballi-Sirsi-Talguppa New Line. It also included the construction of road over bridges (ROBs) and road under bridges (RUBs), along with station development under the ABSS. The review also focused on upgrading passenger amenities at major stations.
Pralhad Joshi proposed increasing the frequency of the Hubballi-Varanasi train service from weekly to bi-weekly and adding new connections between Hubballi and Ajmer, Jodhpur, and Ahmedabad. He also suggested launching a local MEMU train connecting Hubballi with nearby stations like Annigeri, Kundagol, Saunshi, Gudigeri, and Dharwad. Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri, MP for Uttara Kannada, additionally requested a train service between Dandeli and Dharwad.
The meeting included detailed discussions on the status of land acquisition, Detailed Project Reports (DPR), and tender progress for all ongoing projects. V. Somanna directed railway officials to address any bottlenecks and complete the projects within the stipulated timelines.
According to the statement, the review meeting was attended by General Manager Arvind Srivastava, AGM K.S. Jain, DRM Hubballi Harsh Khare, and senior officials from South Western Railway, along with Dharwad District Commissioner Smt. Divya Prabhu, KIADB officials, and other stakeholders.
