no annual profit of 5% from the construction of railway lines. As expected profit was not realised
and the Government remitted the amount till 1891. The present building of Karnataka College, was
the main office of the Southern Maratha Railway Company. At the beginning of 1887, the company
had constructed metregauge railway lines. Prior to this, in 1885, the railway workshop was started in
Hubli. By 1890, this railway network was extended from Pune to Mysore (via Bangalore) and from
Vijayawada to MarmaGoa. The railways made a tremendous impact on the business activities and on
the social life of the people. Import and export activities of cotton and food grains were carried on
briskly through railways. In rainy season also, transport activities were carried on smoothly. With the
development of railways, old trade routes like ghat roads leading to ports and North Kanara coast lost
their importance. By 1903-04, trade in the export of cotton increased to such an extent that, the
railways could not transport all the cotton produced in the district. The extension of railway line from
Hubli to Karwar could not be materialised due to the coming up of Goa railway line.
428 Dharwad District
In 1908, the Sourthern Maratha Railway Company amalgamated with the Madras Railway Company
under the name of Madras and Southern Maratha Railway Company. Private companies came forward
to undertake the construction of the Railway lines of Hubli-Sirsi (105 km), Hubli-Yellapur (67 km) and
Havanur-Haveri (35 km) in 1919. Though these proposals were considered by the Government, no
progress could take place. As per the government programme, Madras and Southern Maratha Company
network was included under the Southern Railway in April 1944. Accordingly, the railway lines of
Dharwad district were transferred to the Sourthern Railways. The district had 315 km. of metregauge
railway line in 1950-51 and there were 30 railway stations. Among the 17 taluks of the district, there
was no railway line in Kalghatgi, Hangal, Hirekerur, Mundargi, Nargund, Shirhatti and Shiggaon taluks.
The Hubli division came into existence when the Southern Railway was reorganised in 31.10.1956.
Again, Hubli became the Divisional centre when South-Central Railway was established on 2.10.1966.
The Hubli-Guntkal-Dronachalam route was also added to this zone. Hubli-Harihar route was included
under Southern railway. 31.7 km of metregauge route between Alnavar-Dandeli was opened for traffic
on 1.12.1919. However this route was purchased by the Southern Railways from Government of
Karnataka on 1.10.1962. The district had a total of 320.72 km length of railway line as on 31.3.1994
and the details are as follow : 1] Pune- Bangalore route enters Dharwad district through Londa junction
in Belgaum district near the Alnawar Railway Station. At the Southern border of the district, it enters
Harihar in Chitradurga district. List of Railway stations of this division is as follows : Alanawar,
Kashanatti, Kambaraganive, Nagalavi, Muguda, Karakoppa, Dharwad, Navalur, Amargol, Unakal, Hubli,
Kundgol, Samshi, Gudageri, Yalavigi, Savanur, Karjagi, Haveri, Byadgi, Devaragudda, Ranibennur and
Chalageri. 2] Hubli-Sholapur route passes through Hubli, Navalgund-Gadag and Ron taluks, and after
Hole Alur railway station, by crossing Malaprabha river, enters Bijapur district. The Railway stations
coming under the jurisdiction of this district, in this route are Hubli, Kusugal, Hebsur, Shishuvinahalli,
Navalgund road, Annigeri, Kondikoppa, Hulkoti, Binkadakatti, Gadag, Hombal, Balaganur, Mallapur,
Somanakatti and Hole Alur, after crossing the Malaprabha river, it enters Bijapur district, 3] HubliGuntkal
railway route passes through Sholapur route upto Hubli-Gadag and after Gadag passes through
Kanaginahal and Harlapur railway statioins and near the 84th km stone, leaves the district border
towards Hospet.
Details of the number of passengers who travelled from various prominent railway stations of
the district and the revenue earned for the year 1992-93 and 1993-94. are as follow :
Railway station 1992-93 1993-94
No.of Passengers Revenue No.of Passengers Revenue
Hubli 9,67,826 4,28,57,568 9,56,391 4,57,15,878
Gadag 8,89,607 1,08,44,355 8,49,983 1,07,31,563
Dharwad 1,72,205 66,92,702 1,22,228 52,28,358
Alnawar 63,514 10,55,112 50,651 9,69,317
Annigeri 42,186 4,96,634 40,388 4,26,702
Revenue earned by Goods Transport
Hubli 90,09,429 84,66,706
Source : Regional Railway Managers Office, Hubli.
Transport and Communications 429
In keeping with the policy of the Central government to convert all the existing railway lines into
broadgauge, in a haste manner broadgauge conversion work has been taken up in this district also and
is in progress. A length of 50.45 km route in the Hubli-Londa line, is expected to be completed before
March 31,1995, involving an approximate cost of Rs.53 crores. The conversion work of 143 km between
Hubli-Hospet is expected to be completed before 31.5.1995. There is a scheme to open the routes of
Bangalore-Hubli and Miraj to traffic on 1st April, 1995. The conversion of railway broadgauge between
Hubli-Harihar, had commenced from the year 1994-95. After its completion, the scheme to run Shatabdi
express between Bangalore-Hubli has been sanctioned. Of the total railway line of 320.72 km. in the
district 193.72 Km. and 127.00 Km. of railway lines are controlled by South-Central and Southern
Railway respectively.
Railway Workshop, Hubli
The Hubli metregauge workshop established by the British in 1885, was taken over by the
Southern Maratha Railway Company in 1919. In 1966, it came under the control of the newly established
South-Central Railway from the Southern Railway. Repairs and maintenance work of steam engines,
carriages, wagons etc. related to metergauge were undertaken in this workshop. Nowadays, there has
been an increase in the use of diesal and electric engines. This workshop is capable of regaining the
importance it had attained previously, if only the workshop exclusively takes up repair works connected
with the broadgauge lines. The production unit of this workshop almost came to standstill with the
production of the last steam engine in Jan.1995.
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