MANGALURU: The proposed Vande Bharat Express service between Bengaluru and Madgaon has triggered disappointment across the coastal belt, as tentative schedules reveal that the train will bypass both Mangaluru Central and Mangaluru Junction stations.
According to the tentative timetable, the train will operate between Yeshwantpur in Bengaluru and Madgaon, travelling via Padil without halting at either of Mangaluru’s key railway stations. Residents and railway activists argue that this move defeats long-standing demands for a dedicated Vande Bharat service connecting Bengaluru and Mangaluru.
As per the tentative schedule, the Yeshwantpur–Madgaon Vande Bharat Express will depart Yeshwantpur at 6:05 am and reach Madgaon at 7:15 pm. On the return journey, the train will leave Madgaon at 5:30 am and arrive at Yeshwantpur at 6:40 pm.
En route, the train is scheduled to reach Hassan at 9:10 am, Sakleshpur at 9:55 am, and Subrahmanya Road at 12:30 pm. It is expected to pass through Padil at 2:00 pm and cross Thokur at 2:40 pm before proceeding towards Madgaon. Notably, there are no scheduled stops at Mangaluru Junction or Mangaluru Central. The train will also skip key coastal stations such as Udupi and Karwar.
G Hanumanth Kamath, president of the Pashchima Karavali Railway Yatri Abhivriddhi Samithi, expressed strong dissatisfaction over the proposed routing.
"Initially, we were informed that two Vande Bharat services would operate between Bengaluru and Mangaluru. As per convention, Vande Bharat trains halt at district headquarters. Skipping Mangaluru entirely makes the Bengaluru–Madgaon service meaningless for the people of the coastal region," he said.
Kamath emphasised that Vande Bharat train will have a stop at Subrahmanya Road then directly proceed to Madgaon without serving Mangaluru would not benefit passengers from the coastal belt. He urged Dakshina Kannada MP Capt. Brijesh Chowta to intervene and take up the matter with railway authorities.
"We need a separate Vande Bharat train between Bengaluru and Mangaluru. At the very least, the proposed service should halt at either Mangaluru Junction or Mangaluru Central," he added.
Residents and railway users across the coastal districts have reiterated that a direct, high-speed rail connection to Bengaluru is a long-pending demand and a crucial requirement for the region’s economic and social connectivity.