Exploration of Chikballapur-Sidlaghatta-Chintamani line

A view of the rustic Chikballapur station area, which has stood warped in time. (Pawan Koppa)

The rustic surroundings around the Chikballapur station which has not seen any change over many, many years. (Pawan Koppa)

The line from Chikballapur towards Kolar does not exist if you look at this picture! However beyond these homes, a few km ahead the new BG allignment resumes. Extension upto the station has not been possible due to political pressures and litigations. (Pa

The Chikballapur station premises. A single line with a solitary platform and a loop. This is as rustic as it gets. All this will however change when the new alignment to Kolar is connected. The whole station will then undergo a sea change. (Pawan Koppa)

A closer look at the Chikballapur station platform. (Pawan Koppa)

After the passengers get off, the DMU is shut down, parked and shutters pulled down till it leaves back at 15:55 as the Passenger back to Bangalore. (Pawan Koppa)

The morning Passenger from Bangalore at Chikballapur arrives 7 minutes early. It is a DMU and has a fairly good patronage. (Pawan Koppa)

An exterior view of the Chikballapur station, which has not changed since many, many tens of years. (Pawan Koppa)

The running room at Chikballapur used for the crew arriving with the late night passenger from Bangalore, who will leave early next day morning back to Bangalore. (Pawan Koppa)

The first views of the new allignment just outside Chikballapur town. A couple of km where the allignment ends is where the Chikballapur station is located. (Pawan Koppa)

Another look at the alignment just outside Chikballapur as it extends towards Sidlaghatta. (Pawan Koppa)

Anyone can mistake this for a 60 ft wide 4 lane highway. In fact this is the alignment of the BG line after CBP, fit for a double line but will currently hold only a single line. (Santosh Kulkarni)

A road over bridge being constructed. This passes over the Chikballapur-Chintamani highway. (Pawan Koppa)

Gidnahalli, the first station after Chikballapur towards Kolar is still in the formative stages. While the platform and the tiny station building is ready, the tracks and other equipment like signaling are still a long, long time away! (Shishir Jairam)

Presenting Gidnahalli, once again, BG style! Kids enjoy a thoroughfare ride through the allignement. (Pawan Koppa)

The current kings of Gidnahalli roar through the allignment and create mini dust storms as they go about their work! (Pawan Koppa)

School over, what better fun than ride through a station on bicycles? In a few months, WDMs will rule the roost over the very same bed of earth. But for now, kids make the most of a nice level track to ride back home! (Pawan Koppa)

A view of the new station building at Gidnahalli. The area around it is currently being used as shelter for workers working around this area. (Pawan Koppa)

A look at the old NG fare list at Gidnahalli. Though the fares are erased out, the station names visible in Kannada are Chikballapur, Nandi, Devanahalli, Dodjala, Sidlaghatta, Hunsenahalli, Chintamani, Srinivasapura and Kolar in a bigger font. (Pawan Kop

The Gidnahalli NG station buiding. (Pawan Koppa)

A look at another fare list at the abandoned NG station building at Gidnahalli. (Pawan Koppa)

Instructions for the Station Masters in the NG days at Gidnahalli. (Pawan Koppa)

The roof of the old NG building at Gidnahalli is in shambles. (Shishir Jairam)

Until the railway lines are laid, the mighty Leyland lorries will fight it out with schoolkids on bicycles for space on this railway "road". (Shishir Jairam)

A view of the area around the proposed Sidlaghatta station. While the elevated area will be the platform, the huge leveled area is for the mainline and loops. (Shishir Jairam)

The old NG station building at Sidlaghatta at a lower level than the BG alignment. As with all the old abandoned buildings, this one too is in a state of shambles. (Shishir Jairam)

Another view of the abandoned Sidlaghatta NG station. (Shishir Jairam)