Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru
Mangaluru, Feb 21: Even as the electrification of the ghat section between Mangaluru and Bengaluru reaches completion, the railway board has delivered a significant shock to the coastal city. Despite having two well-equipped stations, the highly anticipated Vande Bharat Express will bypass both Mangaluru Central and Mangaluru Junction, travelling directly through Padil towards Madgaon in Goa.
The tentative timetable, prepared following instructions from the railway board to the South Western, Southern, and Konkan Railways, confirms that the train will not enter Mangaluru city.
According to the proposal, the Yeshwantpur-Madgaon Vande Bharat Express will depart from Yeshwantpur at 6:05 am and reach Madgaon at 7:15 pm. In the return direction, the train will leave Madgaon at 5:30 am and arrive at Yeshwantpur at 6:40 pm.
The train departing Yeshwantpur at 6:05 am 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 reaching its final destination.
The dream of reaching Bengaluru from Mangaluru in 4 to 5 hours has been dashed. Due to the single-line track and the steep challenges of the Shiradi Ghat section, the train will take nearly 8 hours to reach Padil from Yeshwantpur.
The railways noted that the average speed on this route remains around 50 kmph. While there are proposals to increase the speed to 110–130 kmph between Chikkabanavara and Hassan, the Sakleshpur-Subrahmanya Road ghat stretch remains restricted to 30–40 kmph. The technical constraints of the ghats and the necessity of train crossings on a single track continue to pose significant timing challenges.
Railway activists have expressed deep regret over the decision to skip Mangaluru. A passenger stated, "It only takes an additional 10 minutes for the train to enter Mangaluru Junction and depart. Since Vande Bharat does not require an engine reversal, there is no time wastage. Excluding Mangaluru is a regrettable decision."
Another passenger said, "The railway minister had promised two Vande Bharat trains for the Mangaluru-Bengaluru sector. The current timetable seems designed to please someone else, making the service practically useless for the people of Mangaluru."