Ashwini Vaishnaw flags off Bengaluru-Mumbai train service
Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw flagged off a new Bengaluru-Mumbai train service and announced a future Vande Bharat sleeper route. He highlighted major railway infrastructure expansion in Karnataka, including station redevelopment, suburban rail progress, electrification, and proposed bullet train corridors
Bengaluru: Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Sunday virtually flagged off a train service between Bengaluru and Mumbai. The South Western Railway (SWR) said the new service marks a major step in strengthening connectivity between Karnataka and Maharashtra. According to a statement, the railway minister said that the long-pending demands of people from South and North Karnataka are now being fulfilled. Vaishnaw announced that the Vande Bharat sleeper service between Bengaluru and Mumbai is expected to start soon.
Highlighting infrastructure growth, Vaishnaw noted that railway funding has increased significantly in recent years, accelerating project execution across Karnataka. Under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme, 61 stations are being redeveloped at a cost of Rs 2,160 crore, of which nine have already been completed.
Bengaluru Cantonment station is being redeveloped at a cost of Rs 485 crore, while Yeshwantpur station is being upgraded at Rs 367 crore. Since 2014, around 1,750 km of new railway lines have been constructed in Karnataka. He added that complex electrification work on the Hassan Mangaluru section has been completed, and testing is underway.
On the Bengaluru Suburban Railway Project, he said work is progressing across all four corridors.
For the Baiyappanahalli–Chikkabanavara and Heelalige Rajanukunte corridors, land acquisition has been completed, and station works are underway.
The KSR Bengaluru Devanahalli alignment has been jointly approved by the state government and the railways, and the geotechnical survey has been completed. The Kengeri Whitefield alignment was recently approved, and survey work is expected to commence shortly.
The minister said the suburban rail network will integrate key hubs, including the airport, Electronic City, Marathahalli and Hebbal. He further stated that Karnataka currently operates 12 pairs of Vande Bharat trains. Testing on the Bengaluru-Mangaluru route is underway and is expected to improve coastal connectivity up to Madgaon. Vaishnaw also said that bullet train corridors connecting Bengaluru with Hyderabad and Chennai have been approved. He added that, with a long-term vision to connect Mumbai, Bengaluru and other major cities, the high-speed rail network is expected to expand to 7,000 km.
Minister of State for Railways V Somanna, while addressing the gathering during the flagging off ceremony of Train No: 16553/54 SMVT Bengaluru–Lokmanya Tilak Terminus Express, expressed gratitude to Vaishnaw for sanctioning the new Bengaluru–Mumbai train service, saying it would greatly benefit passengers on one of the busiest routes and further boost Karnataka’s development.
He said Karnataka currently operates 12 pairs of Vande Bharat trains covering 14 districts. He added that a Vande Bharat Sleeper maintenance depot will be established at Thanisandra at a cost of Rs 270 crore, along with a chair car maintenance facility at SMVT Bengaluru costing Rs 52.73 crore.
Doubling works on the Baiyappanahalli Hosur section (Rs 1,116 crore), Bettahalasuru Rajanukunte section (Rs 248 crore), and quadrupling works around Bengaluru (Rs 1,347 crore) are being undertaken to enhance capacity. Somanna said automatic signalling works are being implemented across key sections, including
Yesvantpur, KSR Bengaluru, Lottegollahalli, Baiyappanahalli, Penukonda, Mysuru and Jolarpettai, at a total cost of Rs 6,396 crore. Highlighting overall growth, he said Karnataka has received a record railway budget allocation of Rs 7,748 crore. Since 2014, around 3,840 km of railway lines have been developed and 3,742 km electrified, taking the state close to 100 per cent electrification.
He added that the number of Railway Over Bridges (ROBs) and Railway Under Bridges (RUBs) has increased from around 150 before 2014 to 707 now, with 146 more expected to be completed within the next year. He also said all level crossings are targeted for elimination within the next three years.
