Railways is planning to introduce a Superfast train in between Hubballi and Bengaluru said Union minister and Dharwad MP Shri Pralhad Joshi. Minister of Railways Piyush Goyal has orally accepted the proposal, he added. If everything goes well, the new train will be introduced within 6 months.
Superfast train was long pending from the passengers as current trains take a minimum of 7 to 8 hours to reach Bengaluru from Hubballi. We can travel from Hubballi to Bengaluru within 5 hours if a Superfast train is introduced.
Pralhad Joshi added that ‘Doubling and Electrification works in between Hubballi and Bengaluru is progressing well. Once it is completed, the train can reach Bengaluru within 5 hours.
They also have plans to extend the train till Belagavi‘. Railways is also planning to introduce a DEMU train in between Hubballi and Davangere to help office workers’ he added.
Doubling of railway track in between Hubballi and Bengaluru is progressing well, as the stretch between Bengaluru and Devaragudda near Ranebennur is fully doubled except some stretch near Tumkur.
Electrification works have also picked up as the OHE wiring works in between Chikkabanawara and Tumkur is almost completed. OHE foundation works have started in between Tumkur and Arsikere. If doubling and electrification gets completed, then we can expect Railways to run ‘Train 18’ in between Hubballi and Bengaluru.
However, SWR is yet to increase the MPS (Maximum Permissible Speed) of track in between Hubballi and Bengaluru. At many sections, the MPS is around 100-110kmph only.
So, any train covering Bengaluru to Hubballi in 5 hours is still a distant dream. As of now, Rani Chennamma express is the fastest train in between Bengaluru and Hubballi.
Rani Chennamma Express covers Bengaluru to Hubballi in 6 hours and 50 minutes. SWR has to eliminate a lot of speed restrictions on SBC UBL which is likely to take some time.