The new Bengaluru–Mangaluru–Madgaon Vande Bharat Express has been launched with the electrification of the 55-km Sakleshpur–Subrahmanya Road ghat section, strengthening rail connectivity between Bengaluru, coastal Karnataka and Goa while triggering objections over the train’s boarding point in Mangaluru.
Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw flagged off the inaugural service from Mangaluru Junction on Friday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually launched the train and dedicated the electrified ghat section to the nation. The inaugural special service operated between Sir M Visvesvaraya Terminal in Bengaluru and Madgaon, while another service departed Mangaluru Junction for Bengaluru.
The new service is expected to improve rail travel options for passengers moving between Bengaluru and coastal Karnataka. Udupi-Chikkamagaluru MP Kota Srinivas Poojary said the train would ease travel between the coastal region and Bengaluru. The launch also places Mangaluru more firmly within a wider inter-city rail connection extending northwards to Madgaon in Goa.
The electrification milestone covers a difficult stretch through the Sakleshpur ghat section. The 55-km route includes 57 tunnels and 49 major bridges, presenting steep gradients, restricted access and limited working space for construction teams. Vaishnaw said the work had been completed despite the engineering challenges posed by the terrain.
RITES executed electrification works across approximately 182 route kilometres in the Hassan–Mangaluru Junction section. RITES general manager Sudeep MG said the mountainous terrain, steep gradients, limited accessibility and constrained work areas required specialised engineering, detailed planning and coordination. The Sakleshpur–Subrahmanya Road stretch was commissioned on December 29, 2025, according to the report.
The launch was also accompanied by the virtual inauguration of four redeveloped railway stations in Karnataka under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme, including Subrahmanya Road. Vaishnaw announced Rs 94 crore for the redevelopment of Mangaluru Central railway station and inspected the ongoing work there.
However, the choice of Mangaluru Junction as the Vande Bharat boarding point has drawn objections from the Paschima Karavali Railway Yatri Hitarakshana Samiti. The organisation has urged the railways to route the service through Mangaluru Central, citing better accessibility for passengers. It has also opposed shifting the departure time of the Mangaluru–Yesvantpur Gomateshwara Express from 7am to 11.30am and asked the railways to retain the existing schedule. The railways’ next response on these passenger concerns was not specified in the report.
