The long-awaited Bengaluru-Chamarajanagar railway line project is gaining new momentum following discussions between Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy and Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav. Kumaraswamy emphasized the need for funding for the Hejjala-Chamarajanagar stretch, which has now received significant progress with the Railway Department issuing a notification for land acquisition.
The project, initially approved in 1997-98, was originally meant to connect Bengaluru to Sathyamangalam (Tamil Nadu) through Kanakapura and Chamarajanagar. However, land acquisition challenges and environmental clearances delayed its progress for years. Recently, it was scaled back to focus on the Hejjala-Chamarajanagar section, bypassing the hurdles related to forest areas.
The reactivation of this railway line is expected to bring major benefits to residents of Ramanagara, Bidadi, Channapatna, and other neighboring towns. In a positive move, Union Minister of State for Railways, V Somanna, assured that the Mysuru-Kushalnagar and Hejjala-Chamarajanagar railway lines would be fast-tracked, addressing the land acquisition issues hindering the projects.
This renewed focus on the ₹1,500 crore Hejjala-Chamarajanagar railway line is expected to span 141 km, passing through vital locations like Harohalli, Kanakapura, Malavalli, and Kollegal, with 70 km of the route passing through Ramanagara district. The project requires the acquisition of approximately 1,700 acres of land.