Mangaluru Central Railway Station will be developed as a modern station with Rs 94 crore sanctioned for the project, Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced during the launch of the Madgaon–Bengaluru Vande Bharat Express in Mangaluru on Friday.
Vaishnaw said both Mangaluru Central and Mangaluru Junction would be developed as part of railway infrastructure improvements in Dakshina Kannada. The announcement was made at Mangaluru Junction Railway Station during an event that also covered the launch of the Vande Bharat service and other railway works in the region.
The new service connects Coastal Karnataka with Bengaluru through the Madgaon–Bengaluru route. The minister said the train service marked the completion of a long-standing demand for improved rail connectivity between the coastal region and Karnataka’s capital. He also said the railway had overcome challenges during electrification works to enable smooth operations.
After the launch, Vaishnaw travelled by the Vande Bharat Express from Mangaluru to Subrahmanya Road Railway Station. MPs Captain Brijesh Chowta and Kota Srinivasa Poojary, along with other elected representatives, accompanied him. The minister later alighted at Kabaka Puttur Railway Station and addressed a gathering there.
The development of Mangaluru Central is part of a wider set of railway projects announced or completed in the region. The electrification of the Sakleshpur–Subrahmanya Road railway section was also dedicated to the public during the event. The section passes through the Western Ghats and its electrification is expected to improve train speeds and operational capacity along the ghat route.
The newly renovated Subrahmanya Road railway station was also opened for public use. The station was redeveloped at a cost of Rs 23.73 crore after the project was announced in the Union Budget for 2023–24.
The Subrahmanya Road redevelopment includes a new entrance, a bus bay, two-wheeler parking, parking for other vehicles and a new parcel office. Passenger facilities include an air-conditioned waiting room, escalators and Wi-Fi connectivity. Granite flooring, paintings in waiting areas and a modern roofing structure have also been added.
The station building combines traditional architectural elements with modern infrastructure, according to the details shared at the event. The improvements are intended to provide upgraded passenger amenities while retaining a design associated with the region’s heritage.
Chowta described the Vande Bharat service as a significant development for Coastal Karnataka and said Mangaluru had become a priority region for railway development. He also said the long-standing demand for bringing railway operations under a single division had been addressed with the intervention of the railway minister.
MLAs Vedavyasa Kamath, Bhagirathi Murulya, Y Bharath Shetty and Rajesh Naik, and MLC Kishore Kumar were among those present at the event. The railway authorities’ next phase will involve implementing the sanctioned development works at Mangaluru Central and continuing infrastructure upgrades at the region’s stations and railway sections.
