Karnataka pitches coach depot for Vijayapura to boost rail connectivity

Bengaluru: Industries minister MB Patil said on Wednesday he has discussed setting up a coach depot in Vijayapura with Union minister of state for Railways and Jal Shakti V Somanna, to improve rail connectivity in the region.

The government also plans an additional entry and exit gate at Vijayapura railway station.

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Patil said he has written to Union railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on the matter, an industries department release said. A separate letter has been sent to Somanna as well.

Patil noted that the goods shed earlier located within the Vijayapura station premises has been shifted to Aliyabad. This has freed up land that can now be used to set up a coach depot.

Once built, the depot could be developed into a coach maintenance hub, making train operations more efficient and boosting rail connectivity for Vijayapura and the rest of North Karnataka, he said.

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Vijayapura is a historic city and a major tourist draw, attracting lakhs of visitors each year. Footfall rises sharply on weekends, during festivals and on public holidays. An additional entry and exit gate at the station would ease passenger movement, Patil said.

He added that he raised these issues with Somanna at a railway department event last Monday, and the minister responded positively.

Patil said that if the proposals go through, they will also support the upcoming Bengaluru-Vijayapura Vande Bharat Express, expected to start in the next few months.