BENGALURU: Infrastructure Development Minister MB Patil on Monday called for doubling of rail tracks to be undertaken between two stretches -- Bengaluru and Mangaluru, and Hubballi and Dharwad. In a separate development, the Centre announced a second Vande Bharat Express between Hubballi and Pune.
In a review meet held with Minister of State for Railways V Somanna at Vidhana Soudha to track the progress of railway projects across Karnataka, Patil said, “The absence of a double track between Bengaluru and Mangaluru has hindered industrial growth in the region.”
He also called for a new railway project connecting Chitradurga with Vijayapura via Hosapete, Koppal and Almatti. “With minor modifications, the current travel time of 14 hours between Bengaluru and Vijayapura could be reduced to 10 hours,” the minister added.
“If the Hubballi-Ankola railway project becomes a reality, it would significantly boost industrial development in North Karnataka,” Patil said, adding that a tunnel track between Sakleshpur and Subramanya was required. Somanna stated that the Prime Minister would soon launch 10 new Vande Bharat trains, including one for Karnataka, though the route for the Vande Bharat within the state was not yet finalised, Patil said in a post on X.
Second Hubballi-Pune VB
Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution and Dharwad MP Pralhad Joshi announced a new Vande Bharat Express between Hubballi and Pune. In a post on X on Monday night, he said he had submitted a written request to Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and Minister of State for Railways V Somanna for the same.