KARWAR: Efforts are on to restore the century-old Alnavar-Ambewadi railway service following a big push by activists and locals of Dandeli and Hubballi-Dharwad. If the railway ministry gives its nod, rail services will start in a month.
To carry forest products including timber during the First World War, the metre gauge track was laid by Madras and Southern Mahratta Railway System in 1918. It connected the main railway line from Belagavi to Hubballi. There were four stations -- Gogtewadi, Shingatgeri, Ambewadi and Dandeli.
In the beginning, it was used for goods train. Later, passenger trains were introduced. In 1994, railway services stopped at the time of broad gauge work and the Dandeli railway station shifted to Ambewadi railway station which is very close to Dandeli city.
For the past two and a half decades, there has been no rail service between Alnavar and Dandeli.
Amrut Joshi, a travel writer, said, “If the railway service starts to Ambewadi, it will be helpful for upper Ghat taluks like Dandeli, Haliyal, Joida and some parts of Yellapur too. The people of Upper Ghat have no access to proper railway. This will also boost tourism. As of now, tourists have to come to Dandeli by road.” The Hubballi-Belagavi railway line passes through Alnavar in Dharwad district. If the service is expanded for a further 26 km till Ambewadi, thousands of people will benefit.
R G Hegde, lecturer of a degree college in Dandeli, said that during the weekends more than 2,000 tourists visit Dandeli from Bengaluru and Mumbai by road. The railway line will help tourists and locals as they can easily reach Hubballi-Dharwad and Belagavi too.
Revenue minister R V Deshpande has also shown a keen interest in restarting of the service. Recently he met Union railway minister Piyush Goyal and briefed him about the urgent requirement to start the railway services between Alnavar and Ambewadi.
According to sources in South Western Railway, they are waiting for the safety certificate.