Kalaburagi (Karnataka) [India], November 28 : In a major boost to sericulture farmers, the Solapur Division of Central Railway has launched direct Silk Cocoon transportation from Pandharpur and Kalaburagi to Ramanagaram in Karnataka, Asia's largest silk cocoon market.
According to a press release issued by Central Railway, the initiative aligns with the government's vision to provide farmers with economical, direct market access. The service commenced on November 27, 2025, marking a significant logistics breakthrough for the region.
The release states that though Solapur Division was already connected to Ramanagaram through Train No. 16536 Pandharpur-Mysuru Gol Gumbaz Express and Train No. 17308 Bagalkot-Mysuru Basava Express, "Silk Cocoons could not be booked earlier due to the trains' scheduled halt of less than five minutes at Ramanagaram."
To resolve this, Central Railway (CR) and South Western Railway (SWR) jointly worked on loading and unloading arrangements, enabling seamless end-to-end transport for the first time.
On day one, a farmers' group from Pandharpur booked 38 bags weighing 1,500 kg, with rail transport costing less than ₹5 per kg. The release notes that rail transport is more than 30% cheaper and faster compared to road transport.
The new service will now facilitate affordable cocoon transport from Pandharpur, Solapur and Kalaburagi to Ramanagaram, ensuring direct market access and reducing logistics expenditure for farmers.
The initiative stems from the Amrit Samvad programmes conducted in the region, which aim to strengthen stakeholder interaction under the Ministry of Railways.
Train details shared in the release include:Train No. 16536 Gol Gumbaz Express departs daily at 13:00 hrs from Pandharpur and 15:30 hrs from Solapur. Train No. 17308 Basava Express departs daily at 19:30 hrs from Solapur and 21:15 hrs from Kalaburagi. The Solapur Division has appealed to silk cocoon-producing farmers to make use of the daily railway services for direct market access.