Title - Talaguppa-Honnavar rail link delayed

The recent train connectivity on the Mysore-Bangalore-Shimoga-Talaguppa route has kindled a new hope for the people of the Western coast, particularly for those living in the Northern parts of the coast who have to depend on buses and trucks for movement of passengers and goods.The people have petitioned the Union minister of state for railways KH Muniyappa to complete the 60-kilometre stretch between Talaguppa in Shimoga district and Honnavar in Uttara Kannada district. They reminded him of the promises he had made to the people of Shimoga and Uttara Kannada on a number of occasions.Muniyappa had recently said that Talaguppa-Honnavar line was an important link, which would connect Malnad areas to the coast and Uttara Kannada district to Bangalore.“Railways has already got administrative and financial clearances from the government for both Hubli-Ankola and Talaguppa-Honnavar lines. Only forest and environment clearances are pending,” he said during an interaction with the people.People in the state are disappointed that the railway ministry did not take up Hubli-Ankola and Talaguppa Honnavar lines despite having all clearances ready. “The Hubli-Ankola line will open a new corridor toward Mumbai and interior Maharashtra via Hubli-Belgaum. It will also connect Malnad to a large portion of north Karnataka. Currently, road is the only means of transportation in the area, which is expensive and tedious,” said Anil Bandekar, a member of the Uttara Kannada Railway Users’ Forum.

Coast and port connectivity has been ignored and this will cost Karnataka in the long run. Trading in commodities and engineering goods mostly happen via Mangalore. Without port connectivity, a large hinterland of Mangalore has been left out.