Mysore/Mysuru: Mysuru-Kodagu MP Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar has urged Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw to revive the scrapped Mysuru-Kushalnagar Railway Line project, particularly by initiating land acquisition.

In his representation to the Railway Minister, Yaduveer noted that although some procedures have been completed, the project has slowed down or come to a standstill.

He emphasised that the final location survey for Mysuru (Belagola)-Kushalnagar (87.2 km) line has been completed, but the project was halted for various reasons. He urged the Minister to intervene and restart the project.

The project was sanctioned by the Ministry of Railways on Feb. 27, 2019, at an estimated cost of Rs. 1,854.62 crore. In the Union Budget 2022-23, the Centre had allocated Rs. 1,000 crore for the project. However, the project has now been shelved by the Railway Ministry due to low traffic potential and poor financial returns.

The MP explained to the Railway Minister that Kodagu district lacks railway connectivity, which has severely affected its tourism and plantation-based economy. Farmers remain dependent on saturated road networks for transport.

The project would provide significant opportunities for sustainable tourism in Kodagu, strengthen agricultural and plantation supply chains and connect the district with Mysuru and Bengaluru’s growth corridors, he argued.

Yaduveer has assured that he will continue to follow up with the Railway Ministry and officials to ensure both pending projects are implemented. According to Yaduveer, Minister Vaishnaw has promised to review the request immediately and take appropriate decisions.

‘Link Mysuru to Chennai-Bengaluru high-speed rail project’

MP Yaduveer Wadiyar also urged the Railway Minister to include Mysuru in the Chennai-Bengaluru high-speed rail project announced in the Union Budget 2025-2026. He expressed concern that Mysuru was excluded despite being a major cultural city.

He highlighted that Mysuru is now a prominent tourist destination and an emerging IT hub and deserves to be integrated into the Chennai-Bengaluru economic corridor.

Better connectivity with Bengaluru would accelerate economic growth, he said and added that this would also help reduce congestion in the Bengaluru metropolitan area and meet long-standing demands.