It took 20 years to complete 179 km rail line between Hassan & Bangalore via Kunigel, Shravanabelegola sanctioned by then PM H.D. Deve Gowda two decades ago !!!!!!!!!! The delay was enforced by vested interests such as the powerful Mangalore- Bangalore private bus lobby that has powerful politicians from all major ruling & opposition parties (present & past alike) and OFF-COURSE Mallya the great defaulter who ran away from India. His problem was that his Stud farm at Kunigal enroute where he breads horses for races will be split by this new line cutting through. Look how narrow minded the people are....... being a Rajyasabha member he put his gambling interests before public interests......!!!!!!!!!????????? Even now I don't think this rail route will be put for optimum use........... just because of lobbying by the powerful private bus owners........... there are about 700 private buses between towns in South Canara and Bangalore...
more... (an equivalent of 20 trains).......... who wants to kill a goose that lay golden eggs..........!!!!!! even at the cost of low RoI of railway money........... this unholy PPP nexus here should be addressed first............Perhaps Mangalore which is the 3rd largest city in Karnataka that is not connected properly by rail with its state capital...........