After circuit bench, people’s struggle is next

Kolhapur: India is racing ahead on the tracks of high-speed rail and futuristic technology. The Rs 1.08 lakh crore Mumbai–Ahmedabad bullet train project is nearing readiness, and hydrogen-powered coaches developed in Chennai have successfully been tested. Yet, Kolhapur, despite its economic and cultural significance, continues to be bypassed by the Indian Railways’ grand vision.

The contrast is stark. While massive investments are being made elsewhere, the long-pending Miraj–Kolhapur–Vaibhavwadi rail line, requiring just about Rs 3,000 crore, lies in limbo. Three surveys have been conducted, the project was included in the Gati Shakti plan, and even a bhoomipujan was done by then Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu.

But beyond paperwork, no progress has been made. If completed, this project could link southern Maharashtra with the Konkan, providing a lifeline for both freight and passenger traffic. More importantly, with Kolhapur now hosting the circuit bench of the Bombay High Court, better connectivity is an urgent necessity for litigants and citizens across six districts.

Meanwhile, Kolhapur’s existing railway services are shrinking. The Sahyadri Express has been denied permission to travel beyond Pune for the last three years. The Kolhapur–Solapur train, halted during the pandemic, has not been restored even after four years. The Rani Chennamma Express to Bengaluru has been permanently curtailed at Miraj. And the proposed Mumbai–Kolhapur Vande Bharat remains on paper, with six months of “timetable discussions” yielding nothing.

This neglect cannot be explained away by financial feasibility. The Railways has sanctioned doubling and electrification of the Miraj–Pune line but has ignored the last 46-km stretch to Kolhapur, citing cost concerns. Ironically, the same Railways finds no difficulty in justifying Rs 1 lakh crore-plus for a bullet train. When RajarshiShahu Maharaj brought the first rail line to Kolhapur at his personal expense, he could hardly have imagined that more than a century later, his city would still be fighting for basic connectivity.

Gross reluctance

The official reluctance is not just administrative—it is political. Railway events in recent months have openly revealed the bias against Kolhapur.

The deeper problem, however, is the lack of collective political will within the region itself. The lesson of the circuit bench is clear: Kolhapur gets its due only when citizens unite and apply pressure. Without such mobilisation, rail projects will remain stuck, and the city’s development will continue to be throttled.

History offers perspective. The Konkan Railway too was once dismissed as financially unviable. Today, it is the lifeline of the coastal belt. The Miraj–Vaibhavwadi line has the same transformative potential.

It can boost freight movement, decongest existing routes, and make Kolhapur a stronger link between Maharashtra and Karnataka. A Bengaluru–Kolhapur Vande Bharat is not just desirable—it is entirely practical given the heavy passenger and goods traffic along this corridor.

Kolhapur now stands at a crossroads. The city has the capacity, the demand, and the pressing need for better railway infrastructure. What it lacks is an organised public movement. After the hard-fought victory of the circuit bench, Kolhapur has already shown what people’s resolve can achieve. It is time to bring that same determination to the railway tracks.

If the people of Kolhapur do not demand their rightful share, they will continue to be left waiting—on the platform, watching development speed past them.