Run 3 Vande Bharat trains to Mangaluru as quick commute option to coastal Karnataka: Minister

Even as members of Parliament have demanded introduction of a Vande Bharat Express between Bengaluru and Madgaon via Mangaluru, Dakshina Kannada district in-charge Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao joined the issue by seeking not one, but three Vande Bharat Express trains between Bengaluru and Mangaluru.

In a letter to Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw dated December 19, Mr. Rao said his request may be treated as the request of the government of Karnataka as well as thousands of residents of coastal Karnataka. He said the State Government is trying to develop tier-2 cities, including Mangaluru, into modern work and industry destinations to provide alternatives for investors and to achieve uniform growth across the State.

While Mangaluru could compete with any other city in the country in education, commerce, and culture., it lacks quick transportation options, thereby hindering harnessing of its full potential. While business travel in the range of daily commute is desperately required, thousands of people travel in the evening or night between the two cities to attend to business of a couple of hours, losing an entire day in the process.

Connectivity fuels growth

A quick daily train between Bengaluru and Mangaluru would feed the right fuel for the growth of Dakshina Kannada district. Therefore, the Ministry could run VB Express services leaving Mangaluru at 4 am, 10 am and 6 pm, and returning the same day, on all weekdays.

Mr. Rao said the services would provide impetus to thousands of working professionals and businesspersons who need a quick commute option between two of the most productive cities of Karnataka. The quick commute option would also be attractive for domestic as well as international travellers.

Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya’s demand

Member of Parliament Tejasvi Surya too wrote to Mr. Vaishnaw on December 24 seeking extension of Madgaon-Mangaluru VB Express to Bengaluru. He said a Vande Bharat Express between Bengaluru and Madgaon via Udupi and Karwar would boost tourism and premium commuting while strengthening fast connectivity between Bengaluru, the IT capital, and Goa, a major tourism hub.

Mr. Surya said coastal Karnataka is of national and strategic importance, hosting key installations, including the Sea Bird Naval Base, the Kaiga Nuclear Power Plant, and Karwar port, along with major pilgrimage centres including Gokarna and the Udupi Sri Krishna temple, and premier education institutions, like NIT-K Surathkal.

With electrification of the Western Ghat section, Indian Railways has made the rail corridor between coastal Karnataka and Bengaluru capable of operating premium high-speed rail services.