Click it and Unblock the Notifications
New Eco-friendly Way To Travel To Nandi Hills!
Starting from December 11, Bengaluru residents will have a new, eco-friendly way to travel to Nandi Hills. The South Western Railway (SWR) has taken a decision to extend the service of Memu (Mainline Electric Multiple Unit) trains, which currently operate on the airport route from Devanahalli to Chikkaballapur.
Electric Trains En Route To Nandi Hills
This change will include trains like the 06531/06532 Bengaluru Cantonment-Chikballapur-Cantonment, the 06535/06538 Chikkaballapur-Bengaluru Cantonment-Chikkaballapur, and the 06593/06594 Yeswantpur-Chikkaballapur-Yeswantpur. The electrification process between Yelahanka and Chikkaballapur was completed back in March 2022, but the introduction of electric trains on this track was postponed by SWR due to various reasons.
Trains To Nandi Hills
Currently, trains like the 06387/06388 KSR Bengaluru-Kolar-Cantonment Diesel Multiple Unit (Demu) and the 16549/16550 KSR Bengaluru - Kolar- KSR Bengaluru Demu halt at Nandi station. However, Siddharth Raja, a history enthusiast residing in Nandi Hills, expressed some concerns regarding the current transport system.
He pointed out the lack of viable public or general transport from the Nandi Halt train station to notable sites in the area, which affects the practical use of the train station for both work and leisure purposes. He urged the SWR to focus on curtailing travel time.
User Opinions & Feedback
Meanwhile, Manju Nair, a college student and rail aficionado, mentioned that the scheduled arrival of the morning Memu train at Nandi halt station at 6:37 am might be too late for visitors aiming to witness the sunrise at Nandi hills.
He also mentioned that students, farmers, and visitors to the 112-ft Adiyogi bust at Chikkaballapur (Isha Foundation) would benefit from the extended services to Chikkaballapur. However, these trains do not have stoppages at stations like Bettahalsoor, Doddajala, and Channasandra. Rajkumar Dugar, a rail activist, suggested that these trains should halt at intermediate stations, including Bettahalsoor.
Plans For A Heritage Route
SWR had previously planned to introduce a one-day tour package on the 108-year-old Bengaluru-Devanahalli-Chikkaballapur heritage rail route. The plans included restoring heritage stations, scheduling trains for sunrise at Nandi Hills, and organising visits to Devanahalli Fort, the Adiyogi bust at Chikkaballapur (Isha Foundation), and other historical landmarks.
Kusuma Hariprasad, Additional Divisional Manager (Bengaluru division), explained that SWR, in collaboration with the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH), has already restored three heritage stations on this route: Doddajala, Devanahalli, and Avatihalli. The restoration work at Nandi halt is projected to be completed in two months, after which an early train will be operated to allow visitors to catch the sunrise at Nandi Hills.
Thoughts About Electric Train To Nandi Hills
The railway line from Devanahalli to Chikkaballapur holds significant historical importance, as it was the first railway network in the country established by private enterprise during Sir M Visvesvaraya's tenure as the Diwan of Mysore in 1915. With the upcoming restoration work and better transportation facilities, it is set to offer a unique and enriched travel experience to Nandi Hills.
Continue with Google