Karnataka: South Western Railway to operate Vande Bharat train between Bengaluru and Hubballi by March 2023

By Shyma Rauf
BENGALURU: India’s semi-high-speed Vande Bharat Express will operate between Bengaluru and Hubbali by March 2023, said Union minister of state for railways Darshana Jardosh on Friday. She held a meeting with Karnataka MPs on railway-related issues.
“With the completion of doubling of Hubballi- Chikjajur section this year, the entire Hubballi-Bengaluru route will be doubled; electrification will also be completed by February-March 2023. Once these works are completed, Vande Bharat Express will operate between these two cities,” she said.
SWR officials have identified four corridors — Bengaluru-Chennai, Bengaluru-Hubballi, Bengaluru-Coimbatore and Bengaluru-Secunderabad — to run Vande Bharat trains. “We identified these corridors due to high demand. Bengaluru-Chennai will get the first Vande Bharat train, said an official.
Responding to poor facilities at Bengaluru stations, Sanjeev Kishore, general manager, SWR, said Bengaluru Cantonment and Yeshwantpur stations are being re-developed.
Speaking to reporters here, Jardosh said: “We’ll review the demands put forward by MPs within three months. We have to work together in coordination because railways work with multiple departments. Close coordination & synergy is being maintained with the state government to ensure timely execution of projects especially under PM-Gati Shakti in Karnataka” he said.
Jardosh said doubling of major routes such as Hubballi-Chikjajur (190Km), Londa-Miraj (188Km), Gadag-Hotgi (284Km) are in progress. “On June 20, Prime Minister Narendra Modi dedicated the doubling of Arsikere- Tumakuru (96Km) and Yelahanka-Penukonda (120Km) sections. With the capacity enhancement of major sections, the average speed of goods trains has increased by 60% this year" she said.
“There are 22 new line projects (2,381Km) and 16 doubling projects (1,674Km) sanctioned/in progress in Karnataka at a cost of Rs 46,474 crore. 14 electrification projects (1,156Km) are also in progress" she said.
Jardosh said: “Nearly, 48% of SWR has been electrified. In 2021-2022, the highest ever (512 route Km) electrification was completed. This year, it is targeted to complete 1,157Km electrification. The electrification of the zone is targeted to be completed by 2023 in line with 'Mission green railway' towards zero emission" she said.
In Karnataka, One Station, One Product stall have been launched at 29 stations. "SWR is in third position in maintaining punctuality of trains among all zones. SWR has also installed solar panels on 128 stations, 306 level crossing gates along with service buildings and office buildings (total 4535 kWp installed capacity of solar)” said Jardosh.