Title - Raichur-Gadwal railway line yet to be inaugurated

People in the region were excited when the Union Minister for Railways Mallikarjun Kharge announced on July 2 that the 58 km stretch of broad-gauge railway line between Raichur in Karnataka and Gadwal in Andhra Pradesh, would be dedicated to the nation on August 15, 2013. Unfortunately the plan has not materialised due to various factors.The work for the new line was taken up in 2001–02 when the NDA was in power at the CentreThe project cost was pegged at Rs. 109 crore. A total of 652 acres of land was acquired from farmers of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh (398 acres from Karnataka and 254 acres from Andhra Pradesh). The work was supposed to be completed in 2008. Protest by the farmers over fair prices for their lands, legal hurdles, and the floods in 2009 delayed the work. The work of the new line was completed early this year. Stations were built along the route with necessary amenities. The final touches were done by officials to make it ready for inauguration on August 15.“The commissioning of a new rail line can take place only after Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS) approves the lane after inspection. The work on the broad-gauge line between Raichur and Gadwal has been completed and we are waiting for the clearance of CRS, which comes under the Ministry of Civil Aviation,” Sambasiva Rao K., Chief Public Relation Officer, South Central Railway, told The Hindu from Secunderabad.

Sources in the Railway Department say the CRS is not satisfied with the quality of work done on the project, and has therefore not given the green signal. They say it might have had reservations about the strength of bridges and cross-drains built at various points along the lane.

“The South Central Railway has submitted the documents with regard to the new railway line between Raichur and Gadwal. However, we are not satisfied with them as there are some deficiencies,” a senior officer attached to the office of Commissioner of Railway Safety, South Central Railway, said.