There is some good news for Rail travellers of North Karnataka. Vande Bharat Express between Bengaluru and Hubballi Dharwad will start commercial operations by July.
Union Minister and Dharwad MP Pralhad Joshi met Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw in New Delhi yesterday to discuss about starting the Vande Bharat Express between Hubballi Dharwad and Bengaluru.
Pralhad Joshi tweeted that “All necessary preparations for the commencement of train service have been completed. The Minister has promised to launch the Second Vande Bharat train in the state by July”.
South Western Railway (SWR) and the Central Organisation for Railway Electrification (CORE) are working hard to complete the pending Electrification works between Hubballi and Bengaluru.
The electrification work between Hubballi and Bengaluru has been completed except a few stretches between Hubballi and Haveri. The pending work is likely to be completed within 2-3 weeks.
As per a document released by CORE, Indian Railways is supposed to conduct Trial run of Vande Bharat Express between Bengaluru and Dharwad as soon as possible.
Trains between Bengaluru and Hubballi are likely to be hauled by Electric locos by June 2nd or 3rd week. Construction of Traction Substation (TSS) is in progress at few places.
Electric loco trial was successfully conducted between Devaragudda Hubballi section (Up line only) on 31st March. The electrification of Down line is yet to be commissioned (will be done within 2 weeks as per sources).
Vande Bharat Express, also known as Train-18 is a Semi-high-speed, Intercity, Electric Multiple Unit train operated by the Indian Railways. The train has been tested to operate at 180kmph.
While this is good news, it has to be noted that we are once again late to the party.
For electrification, KA has lagged every other large state except Assam. For doubling too, the main line between Belgaum and Bengaluru has been only completed in 2023.
I hope the new lines between Tunkuru and Davangere, Dharwad and Belgaum are completed quickly. I hope they are laid as double lines capable of 130 kmph to start with.
That will make travel between Belgaum and Bangalore possible by this hopefully extended Vande Bharat in just 6.5 hours, hopefully.
Hubli being SWR headquarters, nothing much has been achieved. Bangalore & Mysore, the other two railway divisions are better.
Lack of political willingness has left the northern Karnataka less developed. VB timings are the same as Janshatabdi making VB less preferred. I am not sure when will be speed increased to 130 kmph mark.
It is too much delay. Why this delay only facing North Karnataka. ?