Vande Bharat Sleeper Train & Major Railway Upgrades Coming to Mangaluru
Mangaluru is set to get a Vande Bharat sleeper train within the next two months, Union Minister of State for Railways V. Somanna announced on Saturday. He was speaking at the flag-off ceremony of the extended Mangaluru Central–Kabaka Puttur passenger train to Subrahmanya Road, held at Mangaluru Central Railway Station.
The minister shared that Mangaluru Central and Mangaluru Junction stations are being modernised. A master plan is already prepared, and tenders will be issued soon after consultations in Delhi. The Junction station has received ₹19 crore, with 85% of the work already completed and expected to finish by August. Work at Mangaluru Central will take around two years post tender finalization.
Subrahmanya Station, an important pilgrim point, is being developed under the Amrit Bharat Scheme and will include an escalator for senior citizens and differently-abled visitors. A MEMU train is planned for this station once ongoing works are done.
Minister Somanna highlighted broader railway safety upgrades, including the implementation of 10,000 km of the Kavach automatic train protection system, with 1,800 km in Karnataka.
Dakshina Kannada MP Brijesh Chowta requested a DPR for a Mangaluru–Bengaluru railway line via Shiradi Ghat and called for better coordination in quarterly DRM meetings.
Assembly Speaker U.T. Khader stressed the importance of transport for regional development and urged that alternative routes be provided before closing any local railway crossings.
Read Also: