Demand grows for early rollout of Bengaluru – Mumbai Vande Bharat Sleeper as trainsets await clearance
The long-awaited launch of the proposed Bengaluru – Mumbai Vande Bharat Sleeper service has once again come into focus, with railway passenger groups calling on
The long-awaited launch of the proposed Bengaluru – Mumbai Vande Bharat Sleeper service has once again come into focus, with railway passenger groups calling on the Union government to expedite the introduction of the premium overnight train. Adding to the anticipation, two Vande Bharat Sleeper trainsets intended for the proposed service are currently stationed at the Krantivira Sangolli Rayanna (KSR) Bengaluru City Railway Station. The trainsets, built by BEML, have been moved to the coaching yard, where they are undergoing preliminary inspections and other pre-commissioning checks before entering passenger service. Despite the arrival of the rakes in Bengaluru, railway officials indicated that a few procedural matters are still pending before the trains can be introduced. Not handed over yet Officials from the South Western Railway (SWR) said the trainsets have not yet been formally handed over to the Indian Railways by BEML, and therefore cannot be commissioned for commercial operations at this stage. “The Vande Bharat Sleeper trainsets presently stationed at KSR Bengaluru City Railway Station are yet to be officially handed over by BEML to the Indian Railways.
Until the formal transfer process is completed and all the mandatory technical and operational clearances are obtained, the trains cannot be inducted into regular passenger service. In addition, the final decision on the routes these trainsets will operate is still under consideration,” SWR officials said. Railway officials said that the final operating corridor for the two trainsets has not yet been confirmed. However, the proposed Bengaluru – Mumbai Vande Bharat Sleeper is expected to run via Solapur and Kalaburagi, bringing down the travel time between the two cities to nearly 15 hours, considerably faster than many existing overnight services. Earlier, Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw had indicated that the Bengaluru – Mumbai Vande Bharat Sleeper service was expected to be introduced soon. The train is expected to provide a faster and more comfortable overnight travel option, strengthening rail connectivity between Karnataka and Maharashtra while benefiting passengers travelling from both the southern and northern parts of the State. Concern over delay Railway activists, however, have expressed concern over the delay in the rollout. K.N. Krishna Prasad, a railway activist and the founder of the Karnataka Railway Vedike, said that passengers have been eagerly waiting for the announcement to translate into reality.
The BriefWire