Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru
Mangaluru, Jun 19: Another significant step has been taken towards realizing the dream of high-speed rail connectivity between Karnataka’s coastal region and the state capital, Bengaluru. A trial run of the Vande Bharat Express on the challenging 55-km ghat section between Sakleshpur and Subrahmanya Road is likely to be conducted during the last week of June.
The trial will be conducted by the Research Designs and Standards Organisation (RDSO) under the Ministry of Railways. On the Hassan–Mangaluru railway route, the maximum speed of trains in the ghat section has been restricted to 30 kmph as per the directions of the Railway Safety Commissioner. In view of this restriction, the installation of a special Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) system on the Vande Bharat train has been made mandatory.
The AEB system automatically reduces the train’s speed if it exceeds the prescribed limit. The technology is currently being fitted to the train coaches at the Integral Coach Factory (ICF) in Chennai, and the train is expected to arrive in Karnataka next week.
Mudit Mittal, divisional railway manager (DRM) of the Mysuru Division of South Western Railway, said that trial runs involving ICF and LHB coaches have already been successfully conducted on the ghat section. The trial of the Vande Bharat train remains pending and a special rake equipped with the AEB system is being prepared for the purpose.
The testing programme, which began in the second week of June, involved five trips over five days. According to railway officials, all technical parameters have been successfully met during these tests.
If the upcoming trial is successful and RDSO grants clearance to the Ministry of Railways, the biggest technical hurdle in operating the Vande Bharat service between Bengaluru and Mangaluru will be overcome. The service is expected to provide passengers from coastal Karnataka with a faster and more comfortable travel option to the state capital.
The electrification work on this route was completed in December 2025. The electrification of the railway line between Sakleshpur and Subrahmanya Road was successfully executed by RITES. Following the successful completion of the trial run, the coastal region is expected to receive Vande Bharat services in the near future.