Solapur–Guntakal section
The Solapur–Guntakal section is part of the Mumbai–Chennai line. It connects in the Indian state of Maharashtra and in Andhra Pradesh.
History
Great Indian Peninsula Railway, opened the Pune–Raichur sector of the Mumbai–Chennai line in stages: the portion from Pune to Barshi Road was opened in 1859, from Barshi Road to Mohol in 1860 and from Mohol to Solapur also in 1860. Work on the line from Solapur southwards was begun in 1865 and the line was extended to Raichur in 1871. Thus the line met the line of Madras Railway thereby establishing direct Mumbai–Chennai link.Madras Railway extended its trunk route to Beypur / Kadalundi and initiated work on a north-western branch out of Arakkonam in 1861. The branch line reached Renigunta in 1862, and to in 1871, where it connected to the Great Indian Peninsula Railway line from Mumbai.
The kalaburagi–Secunderabad line was built in 1874 by the Nizam's Guaranteed State Railway.
The metre gauge Gadag–Hotgi section was opened in 1884 by the Southern Mahratta Railway. The line was converted to broad gauge in 2008.
The Vikrabad–Bidar -wide broad gauge line was opened in 1932.
The long Raichur–Gadwal railway track was opened in 2013. Gadwal is on the Dhone–Kacheguda line.
The long Kalaburagi–Bidar railway track was opened in 2017.