BENGALURU: While there is much buzz around India’s second Vande Bharat Sleeper service, proposed to connect Bengaluru with Mumbai, South Western Railways (SWR) has not received any official communication from the Railway Board regarding approval of the train yet.
The service is proposed to connect Sir M Visvesvaraya Terminal (SMVT), Bengaluru, with Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT), Mumbai, with the train likely to operate six days a week, according to a source familiar with the tentative timetable.
The proposed train will cover 1,118km. It is expected to leave Bengaluru at 7.50pm and reach Mumbai at 11.55am the next day, taking around 16 hours and 5 minutes. The return service is proposed to leave Mumbai at 8.10pm and reach Bengaluru at 11.55am the next day, taking about 15 hours and 45 minutes.
The train is likely to run via Dharmavaram, Anantapur, Guntakal, Raichur, Wadi, Kalaburagi, Solapur, Pune and Kalyan. Solapur and Pune have been identified for cleaning and water-filling arrangements.
The route via Kalaburagi has been preferred as it has fewer curves and can better support sections where trains can run at speeds of up to 130kmph, the source said. The proposed service has a low average speed, and a 55kmph section between Londa and Kittur is also expected to affect the overall journey time, the source added. The route already has 17 pairs of trains, which means existing services may require changes to their timings to accommodate the new train.
The alternative route via Hubballi has more curves and ghat sections, where speed restrictions could increase travel time. Sources suggested that a separate Vande Bharat Sleeper service could be introduced on the Hubballi route, which would provide better connectivity to parts of Karnataka.
With the official timetable yet to be confirmed, regular commuters travelling between the IT capital and business hub said the schedule should be planned carefully to ensure that productive business hours are not lost.
Nandan Kulkarni, a regular commuter, said, “The timings should be such that the train reaches either terminal without eating into working hours. Reaching either destination after 10am would make a work trip less practical, as half the working day would already be over, considering that many passengers would be travelling for work or business.”
Another regular passenger, Saritha, said as it is a sleeper service, most of the journey should take place during the night. “Reaching either destination during working hours would serve the purpose if the visit is for a brief meeting. Passengers should also be able to board the return service later in the evening and be back the next morning,” she said.