Hubballi’s direct rail link to Hyderabad pushed back to 2028

The much-awaited Ginigera Raichur railway project has missed its earlier completion deadline, with the target now pushed to December 2028, prolonging the wait for direct rail connectivity to Raichur and other parts of Kalyana Karnataka. The 165.57-km Ginige ra-Raichur section, being executed under a 50:50 cost-sharing arrange- ment between the Ministry of Railways and the Karnataka government, has achieved around 66% physical progress and 55% financial progress. While 83.84 km has been completed and commissioned, work on the remaining 81.73 km between Sindhanur and Raichur is still under way.

The remaining stretch has been divided into two phases. The 30.6-km Sindhanur-Hirekotangal section is targeted for completion by October 2027, while the 49.735 km Hirekotangal-Raichur section has a revised completion target of De cember 2028. The project has been progressing in phases for several years. The Ginige ra-Chikkabenakal section was completed in 2017, followed by Chikkaben akal-Gangavati in 2019, Gangavati-Karatagi in 2020 and Karatagi-Sindh anur in 2024. However, the completion of these sections has not yet translated into a full rail link to Raichur.

Significant work remains on the final stretches, including bridges, road under bridges, earthwork, track linking and station infrastructure. While land acquisition is largely complete, construction progress remains uneven across the two phases. The delay has triggered concerns among residents and activists who have been awaiting the full railway link for decades. Speaking to News Trail, Advocate H.M. Manjunath, secretary of the Gangavathi Bar Association and an activist, said the Munirabad-Mahbubnagar rail way project had acquired the unfortunate distinction of being among India's most delayed railway projects.

“Dragging on for more than 28 years, the project has even outlasted the Srinagar-Baramulla railway line, which faced genuine geographical and security challenges,” he said. Manjunath also pointed to the lack of basic pas senger facilities at Gangavathi railway station, which was inaugurated in March 2019. “There are no elevators for elderly passengers and no dedicated bus connectivity to the station, leaving many travellers stranded after arriving by train,” he said. The prolonged delay, he said, has forced residents to depend heavily on road transport, which is often more expensive and less convenient.

Manjunath also criticised what he described as a lack of vision among elected representatives in the region. “While Bengaluru continues to attract massive investments in Metro projects and technology corridors, cities such as Hubballi and Gangavathi are still strug gling for basic connectivity. Better transport infrastructure is not merely a convenience; it is essential for economic growth, attracting IT investments, supporting local businesses and reducing the migration of North Karnataka's youth to southern Karnataka,” he said.

A crucial link for Kalyana Karnataka Once completed, the Munirabad-Mahbub nagar railway line, of which the Ginigera-Raichur section is a key part, is expected to transform connectivity across Kalyana Karnataka. The new broad-gauge corridor will provide a shorter and more direct rail route between Hub balli and Hyderabad, re- ducing the distance by about 102 km compared with existing routes. It will also improve connectivity between Hyderabad and key destinations such as Raichur, Ballari, Hubballi and Goa. The line is expected to provide a major boost to the movement of agricultural produce from the region, while also facilitating the transportation of bulk commodities such as iron ore, cement and steel from Karnataka's in dustrial and mining belts to Hyderabad and other markets.