Daijiworld News Network- Puttur (VM)

Puttur, Mar 19: The trial run on the Subrahmanya-Sakleshpur railway line will be held on March 30. With this, the long awaited Mangalore-Hassan railway line will become operational.

It has been nearly a decade since the movement of trains on this fragment of railway line was suspended for the purpose of gauge conversion. The suspension of train movement on this line has affected the financial turnover of the region in various ways. The sluggish progress of the gauge conversion had incited people to hold agitations. This 140 kms stretch of Mangalore-Sakleshpur railway gauge conversion work took about a decade!

The railway minister had stated more than once, that the train loaded with pilgrims will start shuttling between Hassan and Mangalore before the Mahamastakabhisheka at Shravanabelagola.

The first phase of this line between Mangalore and Puttur measuring 42 kms was completed and a train is running on this track. Train has also been making its routine route between Puttur and Subrahmanya stretch which is of the same distance The Subrahmanya-Sakleshpur railway line is claimed to give one of the most thrilling and panoramic experiences in the history of Indian Railways, with steep tracks and 52 tunnels.

The line is getting ready for regular run of the trains at a time when Mangalore is being brought under special economic zone. This line, apart from linking the fast growing Mangalore City with Bangalore, the capital of the State, will also provide a direct link to Chennai, as a result of which both west and east coast of India will be brought together.