Member of Parliament Ramesh Jigajinagi has promised to get trains operated between Vijayapura and New Delhi within a couple of months.
Addressing a gathering before flagging off the Vijayapura-Hubballi Inter-city Express here on Monday, he said that it is a long-pending demand of the people here to have trains starting from Vijayapura to reach the national capital.
“I am trying to get two trains reaching Delhi — one via Hubballi for three days and the other via Solapur for three days in a week,” he said.
Expressing unhappiness over the Railway Ministry not meeting the demand for laying a railway line between Almatti and Chitradurga which will provide train connectivity to Bengaluru from Vijayapura, Mr. Jigajinagi hoped that the demand would be met soon.
Referring to the ongoing work on the railway overbridges in different places in the district, he said that while work at Vajrahanuman Nagar is expected to be completed within a couple of months, work at Ibrahimpur is under way.
“The railway overbridge work in Aliabad will start soon as funds have been granted by the government,” he said.
He said that ₹ 14 crore has been allocated by the Railway Ministry for the construction of new quarters for employees as the existing ones have become too old and are not in good condition.
About the Vijayapura-Hubballi Inter-city Express, he said that the train would start from Vijayapura at 5.30 a.m. and reach Hubballi at 11.05 a.m. From Hubballi, the train will start at 4.45 p.m. and reach Vijayapura at 10.40 p.m.
“This is tentative timing; however, based on the demand of the people, we will reschedule the train operations,” he said.
Bagalkot MP P.C. Gaddigoudar said that the new train would help hundreds of passengers of Vijayapura and Bagalkot districts.
Stating that the line doubling and upgradation of railway station work was under way, he said that it would help in adding more trains and improving facilities for passengers.
The former MLA Appu Pattanshetty, several BJP leaders and officials from the South Western Railway were present.