Belagavi: A steady clamour is growing among Belagavi-Sangli commuters to recommission passenger trains that were withdrawn in 1971 for gauge conversion. Even after completion of works in 1995, the services did not resume.
Sangli has the world’s largest turmeric market and over 6,000 people from Belagavi go the Sangli to work there. Another 3,000 people come here for business, personal works and others.
Currently, five express trains are running on the route but three of them are in the morning. All the trains from Sangli to Belagavi start in the morning except one which starts at 9:45pm. “All express trains on this route stop only at Sangli, miraj, Ghataprabha and Belagavi stations. The commuters of intermediary stations in Belagavi district, like Gokak, Chikkodi, Ugar, Shedbal. Raibag, Kuduchi and others cannot directly reach Sangli,” said Umesh Jhaa member of Western Maharashtra Railway Pravasi Group.
He said that due to non-availability of direct passenger trains, people are forced to spend on auto rickshaws to reach Sangli from Miraj. A majority of them travel till Miraj from Belagavi by train to reach Sangli. While returning, they catch a train at Miraj. Earlier, the Central division of the railway department had cited some technical issues for not starting trains, but now Pravasi Group has disproved them. There were about six passenger trains running up to Miraj, but after the pandemic hit only one passenger train is running till Shedbal.
The trade at the turmeric market is also getting affected due to which the economy is slow. The Sangli Chamber of commerce have also written to Belagavi MP Mangala Angadi requesting her to persuade the railway department to run more trains on the route.
Sangli has the world’s largest turmeric market and over 6,000 people from Belagavi go the Sangli to work there. Another 3,000 people come here for business, personal works and others.
Currently, five express trains are running on the route but three of them are in the morning. All the trains from Sangli to Belagavi start in the morning except one which starts at 9:45pm. “All express trains on this route stop only at Sangli, miraj, Ghataprabha and Belagavi stations. The commuters of intermediary stations in Belagavi district, like Gokak, Chikkodi, Ugar, Shedbal. Raibag, Kuduchi and others cannot directly reach Sangli,” said Umesh Jhaa member of Western Maharashtra Railway Pravasi Group.
He said that due to non-availability of direct passenger trains, people are forced to spend on auto rickshaws to reach Sangli from Miraj. A majority of them travel till Miraj from Belagavi by train to reach Sangli. While returning, they catch a train at Miraj. Earlier, the Central division of the railway department had cited some technical issues for not starting trains, but now Pravasi Group has disproved them. There were about six passenger trains running up to Miraj, but after the pandemic hit only one passenger train is running till Shedbal.
The trade at the turmeric market is also getting affected due to which the economy is slow. The Sangli Chamber of commerce have also written to Belagavi MP Mangala Angadi requesting her to persuade the railway department to run more trains on the route.
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