Industries minister urges railway ministry to launch Bengaluru-Vijayapura express train

Bengaluru: Karnataka industries minister MB Patil has written to union railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and minister of state for railways V Somanna on Monday, seeking the introduction of a long-pending express train service between Bengaluru and Vijayapura, he said in a statement.

The request follows the completion of the 9.60-km double-line work between Alamatti and Wandal, which was opened to traffic on March 25. The stretch is part of the larger Gadag-Hotgi double-line project, the minister said.

Patil said railway authorities had earlier indicated that an express service between the two cities would be introduced once this section was commissioned. He urged that the matter be given priority.


Thousands of residents from Vijayapura and Bagalkote districts travel daily to Bengaluru for education, healthcare, business and administrative work, the minister said. He further added that the proposed service would greatly benefit them.

The current rail journey between the two cities takes about 15 hours, which Patil called inconvenient. He said travel time needed to be brought down to around 10 hours.

The minister also requested that trains from Bengaluru be allowed limited stops up to Hubballi. He added that services bound for Vijayapura should be routed via the Hubballi and Gadag bypass lines.